Demonstration of a Capsule Plasmid in Bacillus anthracis,

Abstract

Virulent and certain avirulent strains of Bacillus anthracis harbor a plasmid, designated pX02, which is involved in the synthesis of capsules. Two classes of rough noncapsulated (Cap-) variants were isolated from the capsule-producing (Cap+) Pasteur vaccine strain 6602: those which were cured of pX02 and those which still carried it. Reversion to Cap+ was demonstrable only in rough variants which had pX02. By means of a mating system in which plasmid transfer is mediated by a Bacillus thuringinensis fertility plasmid, pX012, pX02 was transferred from B. anthracis to Bacillus cereus. B. cereus transcipients which acquired pX02 produced capsules under the same conditions required for capsule synthesis by b. anthracis.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Nov 16, 1984
Accession Number
ADA148935

Entities

People

  • B. D. Green
  • B. E. Ivins
  • C. B. Thorne
  • L. Battisti

Organizations

  • United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Acids
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Bacteriophages
  • Biological Toxins
  • Biomedical Research
  • Demonstrations
  • Diseases And Disorders
  • Electrophoresis
  • Fertility
  • Gel Electrophoresis
  • Genes
  • Genetics
  • Glutamic Acid
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Materials
  • Microbiology
  • Microorganisms

Fields of Study

  • Biology

Readers

  • Immunology
  • Operations Research
  • Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Cognitive Aging in the Guam and Border Populations Affected by Alzheimer's Disease and Tau-Associated Dementias.

Technology Areas

  • Biotechnology