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Bioprospecting of Extremophilic Microorganisms to Address Environmental Pollution
Published on: December 30, 2021
Novel linear megaplasmid from Brevibacterium sp. isolated from extreme environment
Julián Rafael Dib1, Martin Wagenknecht, Russell T Hill
1Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales Microbiológicos-CONICET, Tucumán, Argentina.
Journal of Basic Microbiology
|May 18, 2010
Summary
Researchers discovered a novel linear plasmid, pAP13, in Brevibacterium sp. Ap13, isolated from a high-altitude lake. This finding offers a potential new tool for genetic engineering in the commercially significant Brevibacterium genus.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Brevibacterium species are important in various industries.
- Antibiotic resistance is a growing global health concern.
- Plasmids are known to carry antibiotic resistance genes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the plasmids present in the multi-antibiotic resistant Brevibacterium sp. Ap13.
- To characterize the genetic elements potentially contributing to antibiotic resistance.
- To explore novel genetic tools for Brevibacterium manipulation.
Main Methods:
- Isolation of Brevibacterium sp. Ap13 from flamingo feces.
- Plasmid DNA extraction and screening.
- Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) for plasmid characterization.
- Analysis of plasmid structure and terminal modifications.
Main Results:
- Two plasmids, pAP13 (87 kb) and pAP13c (436 kb), were identified in Brevibacterium sp. Ap13.
- Plasmid pAP13 demonstrated stable maintenance within the host bacterium.
- Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis revealed pAP13 to be a linear plasmid with covalently linked terminal proteins.
- This represents the first documented linear plasmid within the Brevibacterium genus.
Conclusions:
- The identification of a linear plasmid in Brevibacterium sp. Ap13 is a significant discovery.
- Plasmid pAP13 may play a role in the observed antibiotic resistance.
- This linear plasmid could serve as a valuable tool for future genetic engineering applications in Brevibacterium.
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