Transfer of R plasmid from Klebsiella pneumoniae RK1 to enterobacteria and Staphylococcus aureus
Chakrabarty, A.N.; Sen, M.; Dastidar, S.G.
Indian Journal of Medical Research 74: 495-505
1981
ISSN/ISBN: 0019-5340 PMID: 7040219 Document Number: 176951
Multiple resistance in different combinations were transferred from a plasmid-carrying donor strain, K. pneumoniae RK1 to a strain of S. aureus and several enterobacteria. The transfer of r-genes took place by the transformation process both in the donor growth-dependent and purified DNA-dependent tests. The combination of different resistances transfereed was quite similar in both of the types of transformation tests with (single) or without any selection. Cotransfer was noted of 4 different antibiotic-resistances to recipient S. aureus ML 275 when the transformation medium did not have any selecting antibiotic, and of 5 such resistances, when penicillin was the only selecting agent. These co-transfers suggested that there may be > 1 independent R plasmid in the donor which could be transferred in different combinations. The authenticity and identity of the process of gene transfer was established on the basis of DNA dependence. DNase sensitivity and by exclusion of mutants and phenotypic variants.