Genetics of recombination during natural transformation

The genomic integration of DNA taken up by natural transformation essentially requires homology. Heterologous DNA is not integrated with detectable frequency (<10^-13 per donor gene). By way of contrast, the lack of RecA does not completely abolish transformation by homologous DNA in Acinetobacter. This indicates the occurence of RecA-independent homologous recombination during natural transformation.

Publications:

• de Vries, J., Meier, P., Wackernagel, W. (2001) The natural transformation of the soil bacteria Pseudomonas stutzeri and Acinetobacter sp. by transgenic plant DNA strictly depends on homologous sequences in the recipient cells. FEMS Microbiol Lett 195: 211-215.
  [Abstract] [Reprint]
  

• Rohde, C., de Vries, J. (2004) unpublished.

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