[Plasmid pJP4 mediated gene horizontal transfer in a biofilm system and its effect on 2, 4-D degradation]

With plasmid pJP4 (which contains functional gene cluster (tfd) encoding 2,4-D degradation) carrying genetic microorganism Pseudomonas putida SM1443:: gfp2x (pJP4:: dsRed) as the donor strain, events of plasmid mediated gene horizontal transfer and its effect on 2,4-D degradation was investigated in a biofilm system operated under fed-batch mode. The surviving status of the functional gene element in the gene-augmented system and effects of gene-augmentation on microbial community structure were also investigated. Results showed that introduction of pJP4 carrying strain to the biofilm system with 2, 4-D (initial concentration at 170 mg/L +/- 10 mg/L) as the sole carbon source could enhance the degradation of 2, 4-D. Enhancement was slight during the initial stage of operation, but it increased with increasing of fed batch runs. Difference in 2, 4-D average degradation rate between gene-augmented system and the control system achieved up to 13.3 mg/(L x h) at most. Through detecting functional gene tfdB and reporter gene gfp, pJP4 mediated gene horizontal transfer to the bacteria on biofilm was further approved. Effects of gene augmentation on microbial community structure was analyzed by PCR-DGGE analysis, and results showed that relatively higher stability of microbial community was maintained for the gene-augmented biofilm system compared to the control system when facing 2,4-D shock loadings.