The instability of plasmid pON5300 after its transformation into Escherichia coli K 12.

The plasmid R1drd-19 Km- and its derivative pON5300 were split by the PstI restriction enzyme; they differed in a 2.4 Mg/mol fragment which was present only in the pON5300. Both plasmids were present in 1-2 copies per chromosomal equivalent in E. coli JC5455 cells. The pON5300 is stable in its original mutagenized host but it segregates the enlarged region of the plasmid molecule after transformation into non-mutagenized E. coli JC5455. The possible explanation of this instability is discussed.