A gene probe for TEM type β-lactamases

Abstract

A restriction fragment of plasmid pBR322 bearing the TEM-1 β-lactamase structural gene was electroeluted from agarose gels after digestion with EcoRI and HinfI. The 1-kilobase fragment was 32P-labeled and used to examine genetic relationships with nucleic acids encoding seven other β-lactamase classes. The probe hybridized only with TEM-2 and OXA-2 class plasmids.