Chromosomal insertion of TOL transposons in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO

Insertions of the TOL plasmid transposons Tn4651 and Tn4653 into the Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO chromosome were isolated by a temperature selection technique. The locations and orientations of 16 insertions were determined by pulsed field gel electrophoresis and Southern hybridization with genomic and TOL DNA probes. All insertions occurred within a 334 kb region of the chromosome (representing less than 6% of the genome) with nine of the inserts clustered within a 10 kb area. Each transposon was able to insert in either orientation. An internal duplication of the 39 kb excisable region of pWW0 was seen in two independent insertions.