Generation of Tn5 insertions in streptococcal conjugative transposon Tn916

A method has been developed for the introduction of Tn5 into Escherichia coli plasmid chimeras containing Streptococcus faecalis DNA. Tn5 could be introduced via a lambda::Tn5 delivery vehicle. The system proved to be particularly efficient and facilitated insertions at numerous sites on DNA containing the 16-kilobase conjugative transposon Tn916. It was possible to introduce some of the resulting Tn916::Tn5 derivatives back into S. faecalis by using a recently developed protoplast transformation procedure. A presumed zygotic induction resulted in insertion of the Tn916 derivatives at multiple sites in the S. faecalis chromosome.