Transformation of Escherichia coli with DNA from Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell lysates

We developed a system to monitor the transfer of heterologous DNA from a genetically manipulated strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to Escherichia coli. This system is based on a yeast strain that carries multiple integrated copies of a pUC-derived plasmid. The bacterial sequences are maintained in the yeast genome by selectable markers for lactose utilization. Lysates of the yeast strain were used to transform E. coli. Transfer of DNA was measured by determining the number of ampicillin -resistant E. coli clones. Our results show that transmission of the Amp(r) gene to E. coli by genetic transformation, caused by DNA released from the yeast, occurs at a very low frequency (about 50 transformants per mu g of DNA) under optimal conditions (a highly competent host strain and a highly efficient transformation procedure). These results suggest that under natural conditions, spontaneous transmission of chromosomal genes from genetically modified organisms is likely to be rare.

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Adam, Ana Cristina, González Blasco, Gracia, Rubio Texeira, Marta, Polaina Molina, Julio
Format: artículo biblioteca
Language:English
Published: American Society for Microbiology 1999-12
Subjects:Transfer of DNA, genetically modified organisms,
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/10261/3079
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