Plasmid incidence in bacteria from deep subsurface sediments
- Pacific Northwest Laboratory, Richland, WA (USA)
Bacteria were isolated from deep terrestrial subsurface sediments underlying the coastal plain of South Carolina. A total of 163 isolates from deep sediments, surface soil, and return drill muds were examined for plasmid DNA content and resistance to the antibiotics penicillin, ampicillin, carbenicillin, streptomycin, kanamycin, and tetracycline. MICs of Cu{sup 2+}, Cr{sup 3+}, and Hg{sup 2+} for each isolate were also determined. The overall frequency of plasmid occurrence in the subsurface bacteria was 33%. Resistance was most frequent to penicillin (70% of all isolates), ampicillin (49%), and carbenicillin (32%) and was concluded to be related to the concentrations of the individual antibiotics in the disks used for assaying resistance and to the production of low levels of {beta}-lactamase. The frequencies of resistance to penicillin and ampicillin were significantly greater for isolates bearing plasmids than for plasmidless isolates; however, resistance was not transferable to penicillin-sensitive Escherichia coli. Hybridization of subsurface bacterial plasmids and chromosomal DNA with a whole-TOL-plasmid (pWWO) probe revealed some homology of subsurface bacterial plasmid and chromosomal DNAs, indicating a potential for those bacterial to harbor catabolic genes on plasmids or chromosomes. The incidences of antibiotic resistance and MICs of metals for subsurface bacteria were significantly different from those drill mud bacteria, ruling out the possibility that bacteria from sediments were derived from drill muds.
- OSTI ID:
- 5032853
- Journal Information:
- Applied and Environmental Microbiology; (USA), Vol. 54:12; ISSN 0099-2240
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
BACTERIA
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
PLASMIDS
BIOASSAY
ANTIBIOTICS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
CATIONS
CHROMIUM COMPOUNDS
COPPER COMPOUNDS
DNA
DNA HYBRIDIZATION
DRILLING FLUIDS
MERCURY COMPOUNDS
PHYSIOLOGY
SEDIMENTS
SOILS
SOUTH CAROLINA
TOLERANCE
ANTI-INFECTIVE AGENTS
CELL CONSTITUENTS
CHARGED PARTICLES
DRUGS
FEDERAL REGION IV
FLUIDS
HYBRIDIZATION
IONS
MICROORGANISMS
NORTH AMERICA
NUCLEIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
USA
540310* - Environment
Aquatic- Basic Studies- (1990-)