Generation of linear multigenomelength plasmid molecules in Bacillus subtilis. Nucleic Acids Research

Linear multigenome-length double and single stranded plasmid DNA was identified in a ~acillus subtilis ATP-dependent ~ ~ ~ a s e mutant strain (*AS) bearing plasmids pC194 or pBD95ts. Plasmid pBC30, a seg mutant of pC194, as well as some pUBllO derivatives with rearrangements external to the minimal replicon,+produce high amounts of such a concatemeric DNA, even in Rec cells. The synthesis of this type of plasmid DNA occurs in the absence of an active plasmid-encoded Rep protein and is markedly affected in @A5 and =El genetic backgrounds. To account for these observations, we propose that the AddAB complex serves to prevent a sigma-type replication of plasmid DNA