- Collection:
- Atlanta University and Clark Atlanta University Theses and Dissertations
- Title:
- Characterization of cell membrane attachment sites of plasmid r6k from escherichia coli; the role of membrane in the maintenance of plasmid molecules, 1989
- Creator:
- Jemilohun, Philip F.
- Date of Original:
- 1989-05-01
- Subject:
- Degrees, Academic
Dissertations, Academic - Location:
- United States, Georgia, Fulton County, Atlanta, 33.749, -84.38798
- Medium:
- theses
- Type:
- Text
- Format:
- application/pdf
- Description:
- The role of membrane in the maintenance of bacterial DNA has been of interest for the past 25 years. In this regard, the interaction of plasmid R6K with its host cell membrane has been studied to better understand the relationship between these two cellular components. In vitro binding studies revealed that plasmid R6K could attach to both outer and inner membrane fractions of its host cell, Escherichia coli. Derivatives of R6K carrying 1 or 2 of its three origins of replication could not bind to membrane fractions from their hosts nor membranes from F' bacteria. However, the derivative, pRK35, carrying the intact three origins of replication could bind to membranes from its host but not from F' bacteria. These observations suggest that the three origins must be contiguous for stable binding of the plasmid to the cell membranes. Binding studies of R6K to membrane fractions from F' cells suggest that complexing of the plasmid is a plasmid-encoded function. Plasmids NR1 and pI524 (from gram-negative and gram-positive hosts, respectively) could bind to membrane fractions from a plasmid R6K host. Competitive binding experiments showed that R6K is competitive with pRK35 (a derivative carrying the three origins), and a plasmid, pI524, from Staphylococcus aureus.
- External Identifiers:
- Metadata URL:
- http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12322/cau.td:1989_jemilohun_philip_f
- Rights Holder:
- Clark Atlanta University
- Holding Institution:
- Atlanta University Center Robert W. Woodruff Library
- Rights:
-
