Evidence for phage-mediated gene transfer among Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains on the phylloplane

Abstract

As the use of genetically engineered microorganisms for agricultural tasks becomes more frequent, the ability of bacteria to exchange genetic material in the agricultural setting must be assessed. Transduction (bacterial virus-mediated horizontal gene transfer) is a potentially important mechanism of gene transfer in natural environments. This study investigated the potential of plant leaves to act as surfaces on which transduction can take place among microorganisms. Pseudomonas aeruginosa and its generalized transducing bacteriophage F116 were used as a model system. The application of P. aeruginosa lysogens of F116 to plant leaves resulted in genetic exchange among donor and recipient organisms resident on the same plant. Transduction was also observed when these bacterial strains were inoculated onto adjacent plants and contact was made possible through high-density planting.

Ability of phages to infect Acinetobacter calcoaceticus‐Acinetobacter baumannii complex species through acquisition of different pectate lyase depolymerase domains

“…Bacteriophages (phages) are ubiquitous in nature, often outnumbering by tenfold the bacterial counts (Proctor et al, 1988;Bergh et al, 1989). These virions are considered a major driving force of bacterial evolution (Koskella and Brockhurst 2014), being known to modify competition among bacterial strains or species (Bohamann and Lenski, 2000;Joo et al, 2006;Koskella et al, 2012), maintain bacterial diversity (Buckling and Rainey, 2002;Rodriguez-Valera et al, 2009), and mediate horizontal gene transfer among bacteria (Kidambi et al, 1994;Canchaya et al, 2003). Likewise, the arms-race between phages and bacteria has been shown to affect global nutrient cycling (Suttle, 2007) and climate (Fuhrman, 1999;Suttle, 2007), and the evolution of virulence in human pathogens (Br€ ussow et al, 2004).…”

Site directed chromosomal marking of a fluorescent pseudomonad isolated from the phytosphere of sugar beet; stability and potential for marker gene transfer.

“…The maintenance and expression of the transferred genes could only be demonstrated in vitro using mobilizable integration vectors to recipients that shared considerable homology with SBW25 marked fragments. The transfer of mobile genetic elements has been recently modelled in the phytosphere with both transducing bacteriophage (Kidambi et al 1994) and conjugative plasmids (Lilley et al 1994). Therefore, if mobile genetic elements with the capacity to transfer chromosomal regions are present in the natural environment at ecologically significant densities then the design approach taken for the GMM described here should be able to detect such events during field releases.…”

Bacteria–phage coevolution as a driver of ecological and evolutionary processes in microbial communities

“…Buckling & Rainey, 2002a, b;Rodriguez-Valera et al, 2009), and mediate horizontal gene transfer among bacteria (e.g. Kidambi et al, 1994;Canchaya et al, 2003). Phages have evolved a diversity of life histories and transmission strategies to exploit prokaryotic host cells for their own reproduction (Fig.…”