Gene Transfers and Environment : Proceedings of the Third European Meeting on Bacterial Genetics and Ecology (BAGECO-3), 20–22 November 1991, Villefranche-sur-Mer, France

Provided here is an up-to-date survey of gene transfers in the main natural habitats, with a special reference to genetically engineered microorganisms.In the first of five sections technical approaches of gene transfer in the natural environment are developed. These emphasize the use of modernmethodologies for the detection of recombinant bacteria in natural waters and soil, using DNA or rRNA probes and PCR technology. The three following sections deal with various aspects of gene transfer in aquatic environments, terrestrial habitats and human and animal gut. These include transfer of plasmidic or chromosomal markers through either conjugation, mobilization, transformation or transduction processes. Also covered are factors influencing survival of cells harbouring the transferred genes in these environments. The last section is devoted to an examination of scientific and ethical problems related to the release of genetically engineered microorganisms. Front Matter....Pages I-XI Front Matter....Pages 1-1 Direct Detection of Particular DNA Sequences in Soil....Pages 3-7 Autotrophic Ammonia-Oxidizing Bacteria in Stratified Eutrophic Lakes: Development of Ribosomal RNA-Directed Oligonucleotide Probes....Pages 9-14 The Detection of Marked Populations of Recombinant Pseudomonads Released into Lake Water....Pages 15-20 Screening of Erythromycin Resistant Bacillus spp. from Aerobiological Samplings for Recombinant DNA....Pages 21-25 Stress and Survival in Alcaligenes eutrophus CH34: Effects of Temperature and Genetic Rearrangements....Pages 27-32 Front Matter....Pages 33-33 Effect of Host Cell Physiology on Plasmid Transfer in River Epilithon....Pages 35-50 Virus-Mediated Gene Transfer in Freshwater Environments....Pages 51-62 Intergeneric Natural Plasmid Transformation between Escherichia coli and a Marine Vibrio Species....Pages 63-67 Natural Transformation on Agar and in River Epilithon....Pages 69-76 Front Matter....Pages 77-77 Conjugal Gene Transfer in the Soil Environment; New Approaches and Developments....Pages 79-94 Gene Transfer via Transformation in Soil/Sediment Environments....Pages 95-101 DNA Binding to Various Clay Minerals and Retarded Enzymatic Degradation of DNA in a Sand/Clay Microcosm....Pages 103-113 Characterization of Natural Transformation of the Soil Bacteria Pseudomonas stutzeri and Acinetobacter calcoaceticus by Chromosomal and Plasmid DNA....Pages 115-126 The Importance of Retromobilization to Gene Dissemination and the Effect of Heavy Metal Pollution on Retromobilization in Soil....Pages 127-134 Interactions between Actinophage and their Streptomycete Hosts in Soil and the Fate of Phage Borne Genes....Pages 135-142 Assessment of the Potential for Gene Transfer in the Phytosphere of Sugar Beet....Pages 143-148 Front Matter....Pages 149-149 Gene Transfer in Human and Animals Gut....Pages 151-160 Conjugal Transfer of Genetic Information in Gnotobiotic Mice....Pages 161-165 In vivo Transfer of a Conjugative Plasmid between Isogenic Escherichia coli Strains in the Gut of Chickens, in the Presence and Absence of Selective Pressure....Pages 167-173 Origin and Spread of Penicillin-Resistance in Neisseria meningitidis ....Pages 175-180 Front Matter....Pages 181-181 Release of Genetically Modified Microorganisms in Natural Environments: Scientific and Ethical Problems....Pages 183-190 Development of Sensitive Techniques Based on DNA Probes and PCR-Amplification, for the Study of the Survival and Genetic Stability of Lactococcus spp. in the Environment and the Gastrointestinal Tract....Pages 191-195 Back Matter....Pages 197-205 Provided here is an up-to-date survey of gene transfers in the main natural habitats, with a special reference to genetically engineered microorganisms. In the first of five sections technical approaches of gene transfer in the natural environment are developed. These emphasize the use of modernmethodologies for the detection of recombinant bacteria in natural waters and soil, using DNA or rRNA probes and PCR technology. The three following sections deal with various aspects of gene transfer in aquatic environments, terrestrial habitats and human and animal gut. These include transfer of plasmidic or chromosomal markers through either conjugation, mobilization, transformation or transduction processes. Also covered are factors influencing survival of cells harbouring the transferred genes in these environments. The last section is devoted to an examination of scientific and ethical problems related to the release of genetically engineered microorganisms