Mobilization of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans plasmids among Escherichia coli strains

Abstract

Nonconjugative Thiobacillus ferrooxidans plasmids were mobilized at high frequencies among Escherichia coli strains by the IncP plasmid RP4 and at low frequencies by the IncN plasmid R46, but not by the IncW plasmid pSa. The mobilization region of a nonconjugative T. ferroxidans plasmid was located on a 5.3-kilobase T. ferrooxidans DNA fragment.