[Labelling of nif-plasmid pEA9 from Enterobacter agglomerans 339]

The authors describe the in vivo labelling of the plasmid pEA9 in Enterobacter agglomerans 339 with a kanamycin resistance gene. For labelling purposes the donor plasmid pST5 was constructed. This plasmid contains the nif ENX region from pEA9,in which a kanamycin resistance gene is cloned.pST5 was transformed into E.a.339 and subsequently cured from the host. Curing was achieved with AP medium. Fourty strains that had lost pST5,but retained the kanamycin resistance, could be isolated. It showed that none of these clones contained co-integrates of pST5 and pEA9. This is evident that in all clones the kanamycin resistance gene was integrated into pEA9 by homologous recombination.