[Cloning and study on the replication origin of the integrated F plasmid in Escherichia coli]

The replication origin of the integrated F' plasmid was cloned by means of marker rescue. No difference in incompatibility and acridine orange sensitivity was found between the mini-F plasmid constructed from such an origin and the autonomous F' plasmid. Subcloning and comparative restriction enzyme analysis were carried out with the replication origin from the integrated F' plasmid and that from the autonomous F plasmid. No structural difference was found between them. These results suggest that the difference for the dependence of recA gene between the F and F' plasmids dose not come from any difference in structure of their replication origin, but probably from their site of integration on the chromosome.