Genetic and Physiological Studies of Bacillus anthracis Related to Development of an Improved Vaccine
Abstract
The primary objective of the research is to gain information and to develop genetic systems that will contribute to development of an improved vaccine for anthrax. Research concentrated largely on i) genetics of the toxin plasmid, pXO1, and the capsule plasmid, pXO2, of B. anthracis; ii) further characterization of the Bacillus mating system encoded by fertility plasmids PXO11 and pXO2 of B. thuringiensis; and iii) identification and characterization of additional fertility plasmids useful for transferring plasmids among Bacillus strains and species. By plasmid transfer experiments it has been shown that the different capsule phenotypes exhibited by variants of B. anthracis are plasmid- associated. Transcipients inheriting pXO2 displayed the capsule phenotype of the pXO2 donor strain. An important goal is the development of a system for putting plasmid DNA manipulated in vitro back into nontransformable Bacillus species such as B. anthracis. Although B. anthracis strains harboring B.thuringiensis fertility plasmid pXO12, pXO13, pXO14, or pXO16 were effective in transferring the tetracycline resistance plasmid pBC16 to B. subtilis, the transcipients were not fertile because the fertility plasmids themselves were either not transferred or not maintained in B. subtilis. Plasmid transfer in the Bacillus mating system encode by B. thuringiensis fertility plasmids may involve cointegrate forms.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 1986
- Accession Number
- ADA174927
Entities
People
- Curtis B. Thorne
Organizations
- University of Massachusetts Amherst