Segregational stability and copy number of the theta-type lactococcal replicon Rep22 in Lactococcus

Rep22 is the replication region of the lactococcal theta replicating pUCL22 plasmid. The copy number of Rep22-based plasmids in Lactococcus was determined by using a chromosomal DNA fragment from Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis MMS368 as reference. Segregational behavior appeared to be linked to copy number and therefore indicated random distribution of copies to daughter cells. Nevertheless, an active partitioning system was detected in the parental plasmid pUCL22. A pUCL22 138-bp DNA restriction fragment bearing a perfect 18-bp inverted repeat was involved in the improvement of Rep22-based plasmid segregational stability during discontinuous exponential growth.