Novel assay to assess permissiveness of a soil microbial community toward receipt of mobile genetic elements.

ABSTRACT: There is a wealth of evidence indicating that mobile genetic elements can spread in natural microbial communities. However, little is known regarding the fraction of the community that actually engages in this behavior. Here we report on a new approach to quantify the fraction of a bacterial community that is able to receive and maintain an exogenous conjugal plasmid termed community permissiveness. Conjugal transfer of a broad-host-range plasmid labeled with a zygotically inducible green fluorescent protein (RP4::gfp) from a donor strain (Pseudomonas putida) to a soil bacterial suspension was examined. The mixture of cells was incubated on membrane filters supported by different solid media. Plasmid transfer was scored by in situ visualization of green fluorescent transconjugant microcolo

SUBMITTER: Musovic S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2901734 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature