The complete nucleotide sequence and environmental distribution of the cryptic, conjugative, broad-host-range plasmid pIPO2 isolated from bacteria of the wheat rhizosphere

Tauch A, Schneiker-Bekel S, Selbitschka W, et al. The complete nucleotide sequence and environmental distribution of the cryptic, conjugative, broad-host-range plasmid pIPO2 isolated from bacteria of the wheat rhizosphere. MICROBIOLOGY-SGM. 2002;148 (Pt 6):1637-1653.Plasmid pIPO2 is a cryptic, conjugative, broad-host-range plasmid isolated from the wheat rhizosphere. it efficiently self-transfers between alpha, beta and gamma Proteobacteria and has a mobilizing/retromobilizing capacity for IncQ plasmids. The complete nucleotide sequence of pIPO2 is presented on the basis of its mini-Tn5::luxABtet-tagged derivative, pIPO2T. The pIPO2 sequence is 39815 bp long and contains at least 43 complete ORFs. Apart from a suite of ORFs with unknown function, all of the genes carried on pIPO2 are predicted to be involved in plasmid replication, maintenance and conjugative transfer. The overall organization of these genes is different from previously described plasmids, but is similar to the genetic organization seen in pSB102, a conjugative plasmid recently isolated from the bacterial community of the alfalfa rhizosphere. The putative conjugative transfer region of pIPO2 covers 23 kb and contains the genes required for DNA processing (Dtr) and mating pair formation (Mpf). The organization of these transfer genes in pIPO2 is highly similar to the genetic organization seen in the environmental plasmid pSB102 and in pXF51 from the plant pathogen Xylella fastidiosa. Plasmids pSB102 and pXF51 have recently been proposed to form a new family of environmental broad-host-range plasmids. Here it is suggested that pIPO2 is a new member of this family. The proposed Mpf system of pIPO2 shares high amino acid sequence similarity with equivalent VirB proteins from the type IV secretion system of Brucella spp. Sequence information was used to design primers specific for the detection of pIPO2. Environmental DNA from a range of diverse habitats was screened by PCR with these primers. Consistently positive signals for the presence of pIPO2 were obtained from a range of soil-related habitats, including the rhizospheres of young wheat plants, of field-grown oats and of grass (all gramineous plants), as well as from the rhizosphere of tomato plants. These data add to the growing evidence that plasmids carry advantageous genes with as yet undefined functions in plant-associated communities

Marketing mass home ownership and the creation of the modern working-class consumer in inter-war Britain

During the 1930s the British building industry and building society movement waged an aggressive campaign to sell the idea of home ownership to a new mass market. A number of sophisticated marketing strategies were employed to transform the popular image of a mortgage from 'a millstone round your neck' to a key element of a new, suburbanized, aspirational lifestyle. Despite opportunistic behaviour by some developers, the spectacular success of this campaign both contributed to the fastest rate of growth in working-class owner-occupation during the twentieth century and had a substantial impact on consumption patterns for families that moved to the new estates.marketing, housing, consumption, owner-occupation, building industry, building societies,

Code of practice for electrical energy storage systems

The purpose of this Code of Practice is to provide a reference to practitioners on the safe, effective and competent application of electrical energy storage systems. It also provides an understanding of the common terms and operating modes of electrical energy storage systems. Building on the IET’s technical briefing: Electrical Energy Storage: an Introduction this will also provide detailed information on the specification, design, installation, commissioning, operation and maintenance of an energy storage system. The scope covers all types of electrical and electrochemical energy storage systems; integration into low voltage power systems; industrial, commercial and domestic applications and systems aligned with existing standards, regulations and guidance