Generalized transduction in Rhizobium meliloti

Generalized transduction of Rhizobium meliloti 1021 was carried out by bacteriophage N3. Genetic markers on the chromosome and the pSym megaplasmid were transduced, along with markers on several IncP plasmids. Cotransduction between transposon Tn5 insertions and integrated recombinant plasmid markers permitted correlation of cotransductional frequencies and known physical distances. Bacteriophage N3 was capable of infecting several commonly used strains of R. meliloti.