Replication of plasmids with the p15A origin in Shewanella putrefaciens MR-1

The plasmid pACYC184 was introduced into Shewanella putrefaciens MR-1 by electroporation. In 100% of the transformants examined, the plasmid was maintained as a free replicon outside the chromosome. This was the case whether or not the plasmid contained a 224-bp DNA insert derived from an open-reading frame of MR-1 genomic DNA. Therefore, in contrast to a report in the literature, plasmids containing the p15A origin of replication can replicate freely in S. putrefaciens MR-1, and do not make convenient vectors for gene replacement in this bacterium. However, we found that plasmids with the pMB1 origin of replication (e.g. pBR322) cannot replicate in MR-1 and could therefore have potential as vectors for gene replacement.