Incorporation of novobiocin, penicillin, and cycloheximide into a standard medium for fluorescence selects for fluorescent pathogenic and free-living pseudomonads.

A rapid method beginning with the direct lysis of bacteria in alkaline sodium dodecyl sulfate was used to detect naphthalene plasmids in pseudomonads. The strains NCIB 9816, PG, ATCC 17483, and ATCC 17484, which can grow on naphthalene as the sole source of carbon and energy, were examined. All except ATCC 17483 contained more than one plasmid. ATCC 17483 did not contain any plasmids. The large...

Significant differences were found between Dettol (chloroxylenol) agar, nalidixic acid-cetrimide agar, and two other cetrimide-containing agars used for the isolation of small numbers of pseudomonads.

Bacteria that survive under variable conditions possess an assortment of genetic regulators to meet these challenges. The group IV or extracytoplasmic function (ECF) sigma factors regulate gene expression in response to specific environmental signals by altering the promoter specificity of RNA polymerase. We have undertaken a study of PvdS, a group IV sigma factor encoded by Pseudomonas syringa...

Populations of fluorescent pseudomonads isolated from an uncultivated soil and from the roots of two plant species were previously shown to differ (P. Lemanceau, T. Corberand, L. Gardan, X. Latour, G. Laguerre, J.-M. Boeufgras, and C. Alabouvette, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 61:1004-1012, 1995). The diversities of fluorescent pseudomonads, from two uncultivated soils and from the roots of two pla...