Abstract
IN Pseudomonas bacteria, the plasmids of the P-2 incompatibility group (IncP2) are notable for several reasons: they include both antibiotic resistance plasmids of nosocomial origin (R plasmids) and degradative plasmids that allow dissimilatory oxidative metabolism of unusual carbon sources; they are a naturally occurring high frequency transfer system with a host range restricted primarily to Pseudomonas; they are reported to be the most frequent incompatibility group of R plasmids found in nosocomial Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates; and they show a wide geographical distribution1–4. Until now, their classification as plasmids has primarily been on the basis of genetic evidence: cotransfer of plasmid phenotypic markers independent of chromosome transfer; and co-curing of plasmid markers by another IncP2 plasmid. We have developed a novel method to permit routine physical isolation of these plasmids5. Using this method, a survey of the sizes of 12 different IncP2 plasmids reveals them to be notable in another way: they constitute an unique group of very large bacterial plasmids, generally having a homogeneous, unprecedented size range between approximately 280 and 312 megadaltons.
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HANSEN, J., OLSEN, R. IncP2 group of Pseudomonas, a class of uniquely large plasmids. Nature 274, 715–717 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1038/274715a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/274715a0
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