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J Bacteriol. 1983 November; 156(2): 584-591

Essential genes of plasmid RK2 in Escherichia coli: trfB region controls a kil gene near trfA.

ABSTRACT

Plasmid RK2 encodes several kil determinants whose lethal action on Escherichia coli host cells is prevented by RK2 kor genes. Here we show that the mini-RK2 plasmid, pRK248, specifies a kilB component (kilB1) in the region of the replication gene trfA. kilB1 is different from trfA and is completely encoded within the pRK248 HaeII A fragment. Transformation of E. coli cells with hybrid plasmids containing the cloned kilB1 determinant is very inefficient and results in the selection of variant kil- plasmids, many of which show genetic and physical evidence of deletions. If another pRK248 gene (korB1) is present in the cells, kilB1+ plasmids can be established at high efficiency and without any detectable changes. KorB1 is encoded by the trfB region of pRK248 because recombinant plasmids with this region are able to control kilB1 in trans. These results substantiate our earlier explanation for the structure of pRK248 and for the perplexing requirement of the trfB region in this plasmid.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Rosche, T. M., Siddique, A., Larsen, M. H., Figurski, D. H. (2000). Incompatibility Protein IncC and Global Regulator KorB Interact in Active Partition of Promiscuous Plasmid RK2. J. Bacteriol. 182: 6014-6026 [Abstract] [Full Text]