Degradative Plasmids of Gram-negative Bacteria

Abstract

The review sumarizes up-to-date information on majority of published degradative plasmids found in Gram-negative bacteria. Different plasmids are compared which code for similar or identical properties, that may, however, differ in many features such a size, conjugative properties, stability and number and properties of coded enzymatic activities, metabolic pathways of degraded chemicals are also discussed. The history of research on bacterial degradative plasmids is also briefly described.