Transformation of methylotrophic bacteria by electroporation

Abstract

An efficient system for electroporation of the methylotrophic bacteria Hyphomicrobium facilis, Hyphomicrobium denitrificans, Methylobacillus glycogenes, Methylobacterium extorquens, and Methylophilus methylotrophus is described. It could be demonstrated that vectors based on the broad-host-range plasmid pBBR1 could be transferred into these strains. Plasmid pBBR1KAN (3.9 kb), a kanamycin-resistant derivative of pBBR1, was suitable for transformation experiments in these methylotrophic bacteria. Transformation efficiencies up to 104transformants/μg plasmid pBBR1KAN were obtained. The broad-host-range plasmid pLA2917 was transferred into Hyphomicrobium species by a triparental mating. However, this plasmid was integrated into the genome of Hyphomicrobium spp. Plasmids pLA2917, pKT231, pSUP2021, pRZ705, and phage DNA could not be transferred in Hyphomicrobium spp. by electroporation under the conditions applied.Key words: Hyphomicrobium, transformation, methylotrophic bacteria, plasmid pBBR1, broad-host-range vector.