Transfer of a genetic marker from a megaplasmid of Anabaena sp. strain PCC 7120 to a megaplasmid of a different Anabaena strain.

The 410-kb alpha megaplasmid of the heterocyst-forming cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. strain PCC 7120 was found to bear the nucA gene that encodes a sugar-nonspecific nuclease. That gene was mutated by insertion of a cassette that confers resistance to neomycin. The resulting strain, AMP2, was mated with a streptomycin-resistant derivative of Anabaena sp. strain PCC 7118, a strain that does not form heterocysts. Cells resistant to both neomycin and streptomycin that were derived from such matings were found to bear the neomycin resistance cassette of the donor strain in a larger megaplasmid characteristic of the recipient strain and did not form heterocysts. This is the first example of transfer of a genetic marker directly between strains of cyanobacteria in which incontrovertible physical evidence of transfer has been obtained. DNA sequences homologous to the nucA gene were present in 13 heterocyst-forming cyanobacteria that were tested but in none of six diverse unicellular strains that were examined.