High incidence of plasmids in marine Vibrio species isolated from Mai Po Nature Reserve of Hong Kong

TY - JOUR

T1 - High incidence of plasmids in marine Vibrio species isolated from Mai Po Nature Reserve of Hong Kong

AU - Zhang, Ruifu

AU - Pan, Li

AU - Zhao, Zhenye

AU - Gu, Ji Dong

N1 - Funding Information: Acknowledgments We would like to thank Jessie Lai for water sample and laboratory support and AFCD of Hong Kong SAR Government for partial financial support and field sampling logistics. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication do not reflect the view of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government.

PY - 2012/8

Y1 - 2012/8

N2 - Mai Po Nature Reserve is the largest mangrove ecosystem and the most polluted coastal water body in Hong Kong. Plasmids screening of 100 Vibrio isolates randomly showed 45 % of them contained 1-3 plasmids. These plasmid(s)-bearing isolates could be divided into 12 groups based on their plasmid profiles. Phylogenetic analysis of the partial 16S rRNA gene sequences confirmed that all plasmid(s)-bearing isolates belonged to Vibrio cholerae. Full DNA sequences of the plasmids in Groups I (pVCG1.1 and pVCG1.2), II (pVCG2.1), III (pVCG3.2) and IV (pVCG4.1) have been determined and the results showed that pVCG1.1, pVCG2.1 and pVCG3.2 were almost identical. Plasmids pVCG1.1, pVCG1.2 and pVCG4.1 are comprised of 4,439, 2,357 and 2,163 bp with the overall G+C content of 45.57, 53.54 and 43.09 %, respectively. pVCG1.1 is a novel plasmid, and plasmids pVCG1.2 and pVCG4.1 showed homology of replication initiation proteins to that of the theta type replicons. Attempts to cure the plasmids from their hosts were unsuccessful. These data suggest that plasmids of Vibrio spp. are a significant gene reservoir in the marine ecosystem.

AB - Mai Po Nature Reserve is the largest mangrove ecosystem and the most polluted coastal water body in Hong Kong. Plasmids screening of 100 Vibrio isolates randomly showed 45 % of them contained 1-3 plasmids. These plasmid(s)-bearing isolates could be divided into 12 groups based on their plasmid profiles. Phylogenetic analysis of the partial 16S rRNA gene sequences confirmed that all plasmid(s)-bearing isolates belonged to Vibrio cholerae. Full DNA sequences of the plasmids in Groups I (pVCG1.1 and pVCG1.2), II (pVCG2.1), III (pVCG3.2) and IV (pVCG4.1) have been determined and the results showed that pVCG1.1, pVCG2.1 and pVCG3.2 were almost identical. Plasmids pVCG1.1, pVCG1.2 and pVCG4.1 are comprised of 4,439, 2,357 and 2,163 bp with the overall G+C content of 45.57, 53.54 and 43.09 %, respectively. pVCG1.1 is a novel plasmid, and plasmids pVCG1.2 and pVCG4.1 showed homology of replication initiation proteins to that of the theta type replicons. Attempts to cure the plasmids from their hosts were unsuccessful. These data suggest that plasmids of Vibrio spp. are a significant gene reservoir in the marine ecosystem.

KW - Distribution

KW - Diversity

KW - Mai Po Nature Reserve

KW - Plasmid

KW - Replication

KW - Vibrio cholerae

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84864871908&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1007/s10646-012-0939-7

DO - 10.1007/s10646-012-0939-7

M3 - 文章

C2 - 22684730

AN - SCOPUS:84864871908

SN - 0963-9292

VL - 21

SP - 1661

EP - 1668

JO - Ecotoxicology

JF - Ecotoxicology

IS - 6

ER -