%0 Journal Article %A Cohen, Michael F. %A Wallis, James G. %A Campbell, Elsie L. %A Meeks, John C. %T Transposon mutagenesis of Nostocsp. strain ATCC 29133, a filamentous cyanobacterium with multiple cellular differentiation alternatives %D 1994 %J Microbiology, %V 140 %N 12 %P 3233-3240 %@ 1465-2080 %R https://doi.org/10.1099/13500872-140-12-3233 %K symbiotic cyanobacterium %K transposon mutagenesis %K Nostocsp. ATCC 29133 %K diazotrophic cyanobacterium %K homologous recombination %I Microbiology Society, %X Nostocsp. strain ATCC 29133 (PCC 73102; Nostoc29133) is a symbiotically-competent, facultatively heterotrophic, diazotrophic cyanobacterium with the capacity to differentiate specialized cells such as heterocysts, akinetes and hormogonial filaments. We have optimized several methods for physiological and molecular genetic analysis of Nostoc29133. By use of a Tn5derivative, Tn5-1063 (KmrBmrSmr), delivered by conjugation from Escherichia coli, antibiotic-resistant mutants of Nostoc29133 were generated at a frequency of approximately 1 × 10−6, 0.4% of which expressed a nitrogen fixation (heterocyst) defective phenotype. Mutant strain UCD 328 was isolated after co-culture of 86 Nostoc29133::Tn5-1063 clones with the symbiotic plant partner, Anthoceros punctatus; strain UCD 328 expressed a symbiotic phenotype of increased frequency of hormogonia-dependent infection. The transposon and flanking genomic DNA was recovered from strain UCD 328, the mutation and phenotype reconstructed by homologous recombination in Nostoc29133, and the transposition site identified from a Nostoc29133 genomic library. Transposon mutagenesis has thus provided the means for isolation and identification of developmental and symbiotic-specific genes of Nostoc29133. %U https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/micro/10.1099/13500872-140-12-3233