TRANSPOSON INDUCED MUTATION IN GLUCONOBACTER-OXYDANS WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO ITS DIRECT-GLUCOSE OXIDATION METABOLISM

Transposons are important genetic tools for mutation studies and for l ocation of genes in prokaryotes. However, very little published work i s available on transposon mutagenesis in Gluconobacter oxydans. We rep ort here Tn5-induced mutation in a keto acid-producing strain of G. ox ydans ATCC 9937 with special reference to the direct-glucose oxidation pathway operative in this organism. In this study, a mutant deficient in glucose dehydrogenase (GDH) activity has been developed by Tn5 mut agenesis. The data of plasmid profiles in the wild-type and the GDH(-) mutant are indicative of transposition in the first instance on one o f the three plasmids (pVJ1) harboured by the organism, resulting in re arrangement of the plasmid and finally stable transposition of Tn5 on the main genome. The final location of Tn5 on the genome has been esta blished by DNA hybridisation studies.