Abstract
THE transfer of nitrogen fixation (nif) genes to bacterial mutants defective in this capacity (nif−) by transduction1 and conjugation2 was first observed in 1971 with Klebsiella pneumoniae. The investigations cited and the subsequent demonstration3 that nif genes can be transferred from K. pneumoniae to Escherichia coli have been widely regarded as harbingers of the molecular biology of the nitrogen fixation process. We now report a new system of interest in this connection, namely, the transfer of nif genes in the non-sulphur purple photosynthetic bacterium Rhodopseudomonas capsulata. Genetic transfer in this organism is mediated by a filterable vector of small size and unknown nature, the “gene transfer agent” (GTA), discovered by Marrs4.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Streicher, S., Gurney, E., and Valentine, R. C., Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 68, 1174–1177 (1971).
Dixon, R. A., and Postgate, J. R., Nature, 234, 47–48 (1971).
Dixon, R. A., and Postgate, J. R., Nature, 237, 102–103 (1972).
Marrs, B., Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 71, 971–973 (1974).
Weaver, P. F., Wall, J. D., and Gest, H., Archs Microbiol., 105, 207–216 (1975).
Wall, J. D., Weaver, P. F., and Gest, H., Archs Microbiol., 105, 217–224 (1975).
Dilworth, M. J., Biochim. biophys. Acta, 127, 285–294 (1966).
Gest, H., in Adv. microbial Physiol. (edit. by Rose, A. H., and Tempest, D. W.), 7, 243–282 (Academic, London and New York, 1972).
Ormerod, J. G., Ormerod, K. S., and Gest, H., Archs Biochem. Biophys., 94, 449–463 (1961).
Ormerod, J. G., and Gest, H., Bact. Rev., 26, 51–66 (1962).
Postgate, J. R., in Symp. Soc. gen. Microbiol. (edit. by Carlile, M. J., and Skehel, J. J.), 24, 263–292 (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1974).
Mortenson, L. E., and Chen, J.-S., in Microbial Iron Metabolism (edit. by Neilands, J. B.), 231–282 (Academic, New York, 1974).
Solioz, M., Yen, H.-C., and Marrs, B., J. Bact., 123, 651–657 (1975).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
WALL, J., WEAVER, P. & GEST, H. Genetic transfer of nitrogenase–hydrogenase activity in Rhodopseudomonas capsulata. Nature 258, 630–631 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1038/258630a0
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/258630a0
This article is cited by
-
Unexpected aspects in the dynamics of horizontal gene transfer of prokaryotes: the impact of outer membrane vesicles
Wiener Medizinische Wochenschrift (2018)
-
Gene transfer agent (GTA) genes reveal diverse and dynamic Roseobacter and Rhodobacter populations in the Chesapeake Bay
The ISME Journal (2009)
-
A microbiologist's odyssey: Bacterial viruses to photosynthetic bacteria
Photosynthesis Research (1994)
-
Relationship between the photoproduction of hydrogen and the accumulation of PHB in non-sulphur purple bacteria
Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology (1993)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.
