EVIDENCE FOR PHAGE-MEDIATED GENE-TRANSFER AMONG PSEUDOMONAS-AERUGINOSA STRAINS ON THE PHYLLOPLANE

As the use of genetically engineered microorganisms for agricultural t asks becomes more frequent, the ability of bacteria to exchange geneti c material in the agricultural setting must be assessed. Transduction (bacterial virus-mediated horizontal gene transfer) is a potentially i mportant mechanism of gene transfer in natural environments. This stud y investigated the potential of plant leaves to act as surfaces on whi ch transduction can take place among microorganisms. Pseudomonas aerug inosa and its generalized transducing bacteriophage F116 were used as a model system. The application of P. aeruginosa lysogens of F116 to p lant leaves resulted in genetic exchange among donor and recipient org anisms resident on the same plant. Transduction was also observed,when these bacterial strains were inoculated onto adjacent plants and cont act was made possible through high-density planting.