F. Barloy-hubler et al., High-resolution physical map of the pSymb megaplasmid and comparison of the three replicons of Sinorhizobium meliloti strain 1021, CURR MICROB, 41(2), 2000, pp. 109-113
A high-resolution physical map of the larger megaplasmid (pSymb) of Sinorhi
zobium meliloti strain 1021 has been constructed by using BAC libraries and
an original two-step PCR screening method. This method, previously used to
map both the chromosome and the smaller megaplasmid (pSyma), allowed us to
position over the genome a total of 842 markers with an average density of
one marker every 8.3 kb. In addition, we used BLASTX and PRODOM analysis t
o predict a function for a number of STSs, This work led to the discovery o
f several interesting loci and to a comparison of the genetic information c
arried by each replicon. The two main results emerging from this study are
(i) a biased distribution of housekeeping genes, mainly detected on chromos
ome, and (ii) the presence of an unexpected number of transporters, mainly
belonging to the ABC superfamily. These are broadly distributed across the
whole genome, but particularly found on pSymb.