Outer membrane vesicles mediated horizontal transfer of an aerobic denitrification gene between Escherichia coli

• Published in: Biodegradation (Dordrecht) 2021-08, Vol.32 (4), p.435-448
• Main Authors: Qiao, Weichuan, Wang, Lianjie, Luo, Yang, Miao, Jiahui
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aquatic Pollution; Bacteria; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Denitrification; E coli; Environmental cleanup; Escherichia coli; Genes; Genetic aspects; Genetic research; Genetic transformation; Geochemistry; Horizontal transfer; Life Sciences; Mediation; Membrane vesicles; Membranes; Microbiology; Microorganisms; Nitrite reductase; Original Paper; Plasmids; Recombination; Reductases; Soil Science & Conservation; Terrestrial Pollution; Vesicles; Waste Management/Waste Technology; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control
• ISSN: 0923-9820; 1572-9729
• DOI: 10.1007/s10532-021-09945-y

Bacterial genetic material can be horizontally transferred between microorganisms via outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) released by bacteria. Up to now, the application of vesicle-mediated horizontal transfer of “degrading genes” in environmental remediation has not been reported. In this study, the nirS gene from an aerobic denitrification bacterium, Pseudomonas stutzeri , was enclosed in a pET28a plasmid, transformed into Escherichia coli ( E. coli ) DH5α and expressed in E. coli BL21. The E. coli DH5α released OMVs containing the recombination plasmid pET28a– nirS -EGFP. When compared with the free pET28a– nirS -EGFP plasmid’s inability to transform, nirS in OMVs could be transferred into E. coli BL21 with the transformation frequency of 2.76 × 10 6  CFU/g when the dosage of OMVs was 200 µg under natural conditions, and nirS could express successfully in recipient bacteria. Furthermore, the recipient bacteria that received OMVs containing pET28a– nirS -EGFP could produce 18.16 U/mL activity of nitrite reductase.