High-frequency homologous plasmid-plasmid recombination coupled with conjugation of plasmid SCP2* in Streptomyces

Non-transmissible derivatives of the Streptomyces multi-copy plasmid plJ101 were mobilized, by cointegrate formation, at frequencies approaching 100% (measured per recipient) by derivatives of the conjugative, low-copy-number Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) plasmid SCP2*. Efficient co-integrate formation required that the plasmids shared at least 112 bp sequence identity, and it occurred only during conjugation. An SCP2* plasmid gene is involved in the process. Co-integrates were presumably formed in the donor cells and transported to the recipient cells. This is a new phenomenon, not known in other bacteria.