Occurrence of conjugative amylolytic activity in rumen lactobacilli.

1,263 rumen strains of Lactobacilli were selected for the production of amylase and resistance to antibiotics. Out of 48 amylolytic Lactobacilli, in 17 strains, there was a cotransfer of the alpha amylase activity and resistance to tetracyclin with a transfer frequency of 10(-3) to 10(-7) ml-1 of the conjugative mixture. In strains No. 30, No. 36 and No. 49, plasmids with similar molecular weights as plasmids in corresponding transconjugants were detected. Similar protein pattern of the donors recipient of the L. lactis RN 1 and transconjugants obtained by PAGE proved the cotransfer of the amylase activity and antibiotic resistance.