Characterization of tetracycline resistance plasmids from Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli

Tetracycline resistance in strains of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli was mediated by plasmids. Intra- and interspecies transfer was demonstrated within the genus Campylobacter. Buoyant densities of plasmid DNAs ranged from 1.691 to 1.694 g/cm3 (31 to 33% guanine plus cytosine). Restriction enzymes AccI, BclI, BglII, and PstI were found to be most useful for comparing the plasmids. The molecular weight of C. jejuni plasmid pMAK175 was 44.7 kilobases (29 X 10(6), and the other plasmids had similar sizes. Two plasmids from Belgian isolates of C. coli of human origin had very similar restriction enzyme profiles and are probably identical. Plasmids from human isolates of C. jejuni originating in Canada and the animal isolate of C. coli showed greater diversity. DNA homology among the campylobacter plasmids was assessed by probing the digests with a nick-translated campylobacter plasmid, pMAK175. All restriction fragments showed significant homology with pMAK175 probe DNA. No homology was noted between campylobacter plasmid DNA and plasmids specifying the four classes of tetracycline resistance determinants found in Enterobacteriaceae.