Plasmid transfer between introduced and indigenous bacteria in leaf litter, soil and vermicompost as affected by soil invertebrates

• Published in: Biology and fertility of soils Vol. 28; no. 2; pp. 169 - 176
• Main Authors: Byzov, B.A, Claus, H, Tretyakova, E.B, Ryabchenko, N.F, Mozgovaya, I.N, Zvyagintsev, D.G, Filip, Z
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.01.1999
• Subjects: Aporrectodea caliginosa; Armadillidium vulgare; Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis; Eisenia fetida; Enterobacter cloacae; Enterococcus faecalis; gene transfer; genetically modified bacteria; Invertebrata; pachyiulus flavipes; plant litter; plasmids; podzolic soils; Pseudomonas; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Pseudomonas putida; Pseudomonas stutzeri; soil bacteria; soil invertebrates; vermicomposting; Ukraine
• ISSN: 0178-2762; 1432-0789
• DOI: 10.1007/s003740050480

Plasmid transfer between introduced strains of Pseudomonas stutzeri JM302 (pLV1013), Pseudomonas putida PA W340 (pLV1017), Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO5 (RP4), and Enterobacter cloacae MF10 (RP4), all of them harbouring genetically modified or naturally occurring plasmids and bacteria indigenous to oak leaf litter, soddy-podzolic soil or vermicompost was monitored using non-sterile laboratory microcosms inhabited by the millipede Pachyiulus flavipes, the wood-louse Armadillidium vulgare, or the earthworms Aporrectodea caliginosa and Eisenia fetida, respectively. Plasmid transfer from genetically modified Streptococcus faecalis JH2-2 (pAM beta 1) to Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis 1-5 under similar conditions was also followed. A recombinant conjugative plasmid (pLV1017) encoding resistance to antibiotics and expressing catechol 2,3-dioxygenase was transferred into two facultatively anaerobic gram-negative bacteria, isolated from the excrement of A. vulgare. Presumed transconjugants of the facultatively anerobic gram-negative bacteria given above were isolated from the leaves and soil (four strains) and the excrement of the invertebrates (11 strains). They carried the same plasmids and exhibited the same enzymatic activity as the respective inoculant strains; for most of them, however, DNA fingerprints were slightly different. Transfer from S. faecalis JH2-2 to B. thuringiensis var. israelensis of a naturally occurring plasmid. pAMb1, encoding resistance to erythromycin was observed in vermicompost.