This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Tark, M. Articles by Kivisaar, M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Tark, M. Articles by Kivisaar, M.

A DNA Polymerase V Homologue Encoded by TOL Plasmid pWW0 Confers Evolutionary Fitness on Pseudomonas putida under Conditions of Environmental Stress

Department of Genetics, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Tartu University and Estonian Biocentre, 51010 Tartu, Estonia

Received 16 March 2005/ Accepted 21 April 2005

Plasmids in conjunction with other mobile elements such as transposons are major players in the genetic adaptation of bacteria in response to changes in environment. Here we show that a large catabolic TOL plasmid, pWW0, from Pseudomonas putida carries genes (rulAB genes) encoding an error-prone DNA polymerase Pol V homologue which increase the survival of bacteria under conditions of accumulation of DNA damage. A study of population dynamics in stationary phase revealed that the presence of pWW0-derived rulAB genes in the bacterial genome allows the expression of a strong growth advantage in stationary phase (GASP) phenotype of P. putida. When rulAB-carrying cells from an 8-day-old culture were mixed with Pol V-negative cells from a 1-day-old culture, cells derived from the aged culture out-competed cells from the nonaged culture and overtook the whole culture. At the same time, bacteria from an aged culture lacking the rulAB genes were only partially able to out-compete cells from a fresh overnight culture of the parental P. putida strain. Thus, in addition to conferring resistance to DNA damage, the plasmid-encoded Pol V genes significantly increase the evolutionary fitness of bacteria during prolonged nutritional starvation of a P. putida population. The results of our study indicate that RecA is involved in the control of expression of the pWW0-encoded Pol V.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Saumaa, S., Tover, A., Tark, M., Tegova, R., Kivisaar, M. (2007). Oxidative DNA Damage Defense Systems in Avoidance of Stationary-Phase Mutagenesis in Pseudomonas putida. J. Bacteriol. 189: 5504-5514 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Kivistik, P. A., Kivisaar, M., Horak, R. (2007). Target Site Selection of Pseudomonas putida Transposon Tn4652. J. Bacteriol. 189: 3918-3921 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Sota, M., Yano, H., Ono, A., Miyazaki, R., Ishii, H., Genka, H., Top, E. M., Tsuda, M. (2006). Genomic and Functional Analysis of the IncP-9 Naphthalene-Catabolic Plasmid NAH7 and Its Transposon Tn4655 Suggests Catabolic Gene Spread by a Tyrosine Recombinase. J. Bacteriol. 188: 4057-4067 [Abstract] [Full Text]