Genetic determinant of pyocin AP41 as an insert in the Pseudomonas aeruginosa chromosome

Abstract

The genetic determinant for pyocin AP41, a bacteriocin produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAF, was transferred to P. aeruginosa PAO and analyzed. By conjugation experiments, the pyocin determinant was found to be located on the chromosome, being closely linked to argG at about 45 min on the genetic map. Cloning of the pyocin AP41 gene into the plasmid R68.45 was attempted in vivo by taking advantage of its linkage at argG. R' argG+ plasmids were isolated by interspecific conjugation between P. aeruginosa and Escherichia coli recA argG strains. Some of the R' argG+ plasmids did contain the pyocin AP41 determinant. Genetic and physical analyses of these R' plasmids indicated that the pyocin AP41 determinant was located within a 2.9-kilobase extra segment found at a certain position of the chromosome of various pyocin AP41 producer strains.