CONJUGAL TRANSFER OF CHEMOLITHOAUTOTROPHICALLY GROWING ABILITY FROM HYDROGEN-OXIDIZING BACTERIUM ALCALIGENES-HYDROGENOPHILUS TO USEFUL MATERIAL-PRODUCING BACTERIA

The plasmid genes encoding the ability to grow chemolithoautotrophically with H-2 and CO2 from a H-2-oxidizing bacterium Alcaligenes hydrogenophilus were in vivo cloned using the broad host range Inc P1 R-plasmid R68.45. The genes of H-2-oxidation enzymes were expressed by a novel alternative sigma(54)-like factor encoded on the chromosome. The sigma(54)-like factor was also in vivo cloned using R68.45. Both R68.45-primes, one carrying plasmid genes and the other carrying chromosome genes, were in vivo recombinated and a recombinant plasmid carrying both genes from plasmid and chromosome was obtained. The conjugal transfer of chemolithoautotrophically growing ability was carried out using the resulting recombinant plasmid. Seventeen bacterial strains, including useful material-producing bacteria, grew up to be able to grow with H-2 and CO2 as the H-2-oxidizing bacteria. Some patent strains registered for the production of antibiotics were ascertained to produce some products which inhibited the growth of the testing-bacteria, under not only heterotrophic conditions but also chemolithoauto-trophilc conditions. The results obtained in our studies will be available in the future research for the production of useful material from CO2.