Final published version
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
<mark>Journal publication date</mark> | 1/10/1989 |
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<mark>Journal</mark> | Applied and Environmental Microbiology |
Issue number | 10 |
Volume | 55 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Pages (from-to) | 2537-2544 |
Publication Status | Published |
<mark>Original language</mark> | English |
As a system for studying the fate of genetically engineered microorganisms in the environment, we have previously constructed recombinant plasmids encoding a xylE marker gene (C. Winstanley, J.A.W. Morgan, R.W. Pickup, J.G. Jones, and J.R. Saunders, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 55: 771-777, 1989). A series of direct membrane filter methods have been developed which facilitate the detection of bacterial cells harboring the xylE gene, its product, catechol 2,3-dioxygenase, and catechol 2,3-dioxygenase enzyme activity directly from water samples. These methods enable detection of recombinant populations at concentrations as low as 103 to 104 cells ml of lake water-1. Direct detection facilitates ecological studies of a range of bacterial strains containing the marker system in aquatic environments. The fate of a recombinant pseudomonad population in lake water was assessed by a combination of colony-forming ability, direct counts, and direct detection of the xylE gene and phenotypic expression of its product.