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Plasmid occurrence and diversity in the genus Paracoccus.
J Baj1, E Piechucka, D Bartosik
1Department of Bacterial Genetics, Institute of Microbiology, Warsaw University, Poland.
Acta Microbiologica Polonica
|April 11, 2001
Summary
Plasmids are common in the Paracoccus genus, with most strains containing at least two, including large megaplasmids. Only one species, Paracoccus alkenifer, was found to be plasmid-free.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Genetics
- Bacteriology
Background:
- The genus Paracoccus comprises diverse bacterial species with varied metabolic capabilities.
- Plasmids, extrachromosomal DNA elements, play significant roles in bacterial adaptation and evolution.
- Understanding plasmid distribution is crucial for characterizing bacterial genetic diversity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence and characteristics of plasmids within the genus Paracoccus.
- To determine the extent of plasmid distribution across different Paracoccus species.
- To identify potential size classes of plasmids, including megaplasmids, in this genus.
Main Methods:
- Screening of multiple strains from 11 out of 13 recognized species of the genus Paracoccus.
- Plasmid DNA extraction and analysis.
- Size determination of identified plasmids.
Main Results:
- Plasmids were widely detected across the screened Paracoccus strains.
- Plasmid sizes ranged from 2.7 kilobases (kb) to over 450 kb.
- The majority of Paracoccus strains harbored at least two plasmids, often including megaplasmids (larger than 450 kb).
- Only one strain, Paracoccus alkenifer, was found to be entirely plasmid-free.
Conclusions:
- Plasmids are a common feature of the Paracoccus bacterial genus.
- The presence of multiple plasmids, including megaplasmids, is characteristic of most Paracoccus strains.
- The genus Paracoccus exhibits significant plasmid diversity in terms of occurrence and size.