DETECTION OF DEVELOPMENTALLY REGULATED GENES OF THE MYXOBACTERIUM STIGMATELLA-AURANTIACA WITH THE TRANSPOSON TN5LACZ

Stigmatella aurantiaca is a prokaryotic organism that undergoes a multicellular cycle of development resulting in the formation of a fruiting body. Insertional mutations were introduced at random sites into the Stigmatella aurantiaca genome with the promotor probe Tn5lacZ derived from Tn5lac by deleting non-essential sequences. 638 transconjugants were obtained with a frequency of 1 x 10(-7). In 260 of the transconjugants isolated the beta-glactosidase gene of Tn5lacZ is fused to vegetative promotors of Stigmatella aurantiaca. In 65 of the strains beta-galactosidase is induced by starvation; in 14 of the transconjugants beta-galactosidase activity is observed after chemical induction of sporulation by 3-methyl-indole. Thirtytwo of the mutants are affected in fruiting body formation and morphology.