Natural Transduction:  Bacterial Gene Transfer in the Enviornment

 

We are studying the mechanisms by which bacteria exchange genetic information in natural environments.  Of particular interest to us has been the investigation of natural transduction.  In this system of gene transfer, bacterial DNA (either plasmid or chromosomal) is packaged into bacterial viral particles and transferred to new hosts.  We have been able to demonstrate this form of gene transfer in situusing both genetically marked laboratory strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and natural isolates of bacterial viruses and bacteria isolated from various freshwater lakes throughout the United States.  Our research has also demonstrated the capacity of transduction to maintain bacterial genotypes and phenotypes in natural microbial communities for much longer periods of time that they would exist if gene transfer by this mechanism did not occur. These data suggest an important role for transduction in increasing genetic diversity among natural populations of bacteria and intheir evolution.

 


References:

Levy, Stuart B., and Robert V. Miller.  1989.  Gene Transfer in the Environment.  McGraw-Hill, New York.  (440 pages.)

Miller, Robert V., and Steven Ripp.  1998.  The importance of pseudolysogeny to transduction in situ., pp.  179-191.  In M.  Syvanen and C.  Kado (ed.), Horizontal Gene Transfer, Chapman and Hall, London.

Miller, Robert V.  1998.  Methods for enumeration and characterization of bacteriophages from environmental samples, pp.  218-235.  In  Robert Burlage (ed.),  Techniques in Microbial Ecology.  Oxford University Press, Oxford, U.K.

Miller, Robert V.  1998.  Bacterial gene swapping in nature.  Scientific American 278(1):66-71.

Ripp, Steven, and Robert V.  Miller.  1997.  The role of pseudolysogeny in bacteriophage-host interactions in a natural freshwater environment.  Microbiology 143:2065-2070.

Replicon, Jean, Allen Frankfater, and Robert V. Miller.  1995.   A continuous culture model to examine factors that affect transduction among Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains in freshwater environments.  Applied and Environmental Microbiology 61:3359-3366.

Ripp, Steven, and Robert V. Miller. 1995.  Effects of suspended particulates on the frequency of transduction among Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a freshwater environment  Applied and Environmental Microbiology 61:1214-1219.

Ripp, Steven, O. A. Ogunseitan, and Robert V. Miller.  1994.  Transduction of a freshwater microbial community by a new Pseudomonas aeruginosa generalized transducing phage, UT1.  Molecular Ecology 3:121-126.

Kidambi, S. P., S. Ripp, and Robert V. Miller.  1994.  Evidence for phage-mediated gene transfer among Pseudomonas aeruginosa on the phylloplane.  Applied and Environmental Microbiology 60:496-500.

Miller, Robert V.  1994.  Genetic exchange among bacteria in aquatic ecosystems, p. 119-124.  In A. Pühler, A. Schäfer, A. Schwarzer, and W. Selbitschka (eds.), Horizontal Gene Transfer ? Mechanisms and Implications.  Center for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Bielefeld,

Miller, Robert V.  1993.  The fate of genetically engineered microorganisms in the environment. pp. 483-511.  In Tim Ford (ed.), Aquatic Microbiology, An Ecological Approach.  Blackwell Scientific Pub. Inc., Cambridge, Mass.

Ogunseitan, O.A., G.S. Sayler, and Robert V. Miller.  1992.  Application of DNA probes to the analysis of bacteriophage distribution patterns in the environment.  Applied and Environmental Microbiology 58:2046-2052.

Miller, Robert V., Steven Ripp, Jean Replicon, O. A. Ogunseitan, and Tyler A. Kokjohn.  1992.  Virus-mediated gene transfer in freshwater environments.  Microbial Releases, p. 50-62.  In Michel J. Gauthier (ed.), Gene Transfers and Environment, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Germany.

Miller, Robert V.  1992.  Methods for the evaluation of gene transfer in the environment; general considerations, pp. 141-159.  In M. Levin, R. Seidler, and M. Rogul (eds.), Microbial Ecology:  Principles, Methods, and Application in Environmental Biotechnology. McGraw-Hill, New York.

Miller, Robert V.  1992.  Methods for evaluating transduction:  an overview with environmental considerations, pp. 229-251.  In M. Levin, R. Seidler, and M. Rogul (eds.), Microbial Ecology:  Principles, Methods, and Application in Environmental Biotechnology. McGraw-Hill, New York.

Miller, Robert V., and Gary S. Sayler.  1992.  Bacteriophage-host interactions in aquatic systems. pp. 176-193.  In E. M. Wellington and J. D. Van Elsas (eds.), Genetic Interactions Among Microorganisms in the Natural Environment,  Pergamon Press, Oxford, UK.

Kokjohn, Tyler A., and Robert V. Miller.  1992.  Gene transfer in the environment: transduction, pp. 54-81.  In  J. C. Fry and M. J. Day (eds.), Release of Genetically Engineered and Other Microorganisms, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK.

Kokjohn, Tyler A., Gary S. Sayler, and Robert V. Miller.  1991.  Attachment and replication of Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteriophages under conditions simulating aquatic environments.  Journal of General Microbiology.  137:661-666.

Miller, Robert V., Tyler A. Kokjohn, and Gary S. Sayler.  1990.  Environmental and molecular characterization of systems which affect genome alteration in Pseudomonas, pp. 252-268.  In S. Silver, A. M. Chakrabarty, B. Iglewski, and S. Kaplan (eds.), Pseudomonas: Biotransformations, Pathogenesis, and Evolving Biotechnology, American Society for Microbiology, Washington, D. C.

Ogunseitan, Oladele A., Gary S. Sayler, and Robert V. Miller.  1990.  Dynamic interaction of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and bacteriophages in lake water.  Microbial Ecology 19:171-185.

Saye, Dennis J., O. A. Ogunseitan, G. S. Sayler, and Robert V. Miller.  1990.  Transduction of linked chromosomal genes between Pseudomonas aeruginosa during incubation in situ in a freshwater habitat.  Applied and Environmental Microbiology 56:140-145.

Saye, Dennis J., and Robert V. Miller.  1989.  Gene transfer in aquatic environments, p. 223-254.  In S. B. Levy and R. V. Miller (eds.), Gene Transfer in the Environment, McGraw-Hill, New York.

Miller, Robert V., and Stuart B. Levy.  1989.  Horizontal gene transfer in relation to environmental release of genetically engineered microorganisms, p. 405-420.  In S. B. Levy and R. V. Miller (eds.), Gene Transfer in the Environment, McGraw-Hill, New York.

Kilbane, John J., and Robert V. Miller.  1988.  Molecular characterization of Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteriophages: identification and characterization of the novel virus B86.  Virology 164:193-200.

Bennett, Peter M., Simon Baumberg, Peter M. Barth, Carmen Sanchez-Rivas and Robert V. Miller.  1988.  Round table 4: genetic stability and expression, p. 239-244.  In M. Sussman, C. H. Collins, F. A. Skinner, and D. E. Stewart-Tull (eds.), The Release of Genetically-Engineered Micro Organisms,  Academic Press, London.

Miller, Robert V.  1988.  Potential for transfer and establishment of engineered genetic sequences in the environment, p. S23-S27.  In J. Hodgson and A. M. Sugden (eds.), Planned Release of Genetically Engineered Organisms (Trends in Biotechnology and Trends in Ecology and Evolution Special Publication, Elsevier Pub. Cambridge, United Kingdom.

O'Morchoe, Susan B., O. Ogunseitan, Gary S. Sayler, and Robert V. Miller.  1988.  Conjugal transfer of R68.45 and FP5 between Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a freshwater environment.  Applied and Environmental Microbiology 54:1923-1929.

Saye, Dennis J., O. Ogunseitan, G. S. Sayler, and Robert V. Miller.  1987.  Potential for transduction of plasmids in a natural freshwater environment: effect of plasmid donor concentration and a natural microbial community on transduction in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.  Applied and Environmental Microbiology 53:987-995.

Cavenagh, Margaret M., and Robert V. Miller.  1986.  Specialized transduction of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO by bacteriophage D3.  Journal of Bacteriology 165:448-452.

Morrison, D., Robert V. Miller, and G. S. Sayler.  1978.  Frequency of F116 mediated transduction of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a natural freshwater environment.  Applied and Environmental Microbiology 36:724-730.

Miller, Robert V., J. M. Pemberton, and Alvin J. Clark.  1976.  Prophage F116: evidence for extrachromosomal location in Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain PAO.  Journal of Virology 22:844 847.

Ku, Chao-Min, and Robert V. Miller.  1975.  Lysogeny deficient mutants of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.  Genetics 80:49-50.

Miller, Robert V., J. M. Pemberton, and K. E. Richards.  1974.  F116, D3, and G101:  temperate bacteriophages of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.  Virology 59:566-569.
 

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