Biotechnology Letters, Vol.21, No.9, 751-757, 1999
Genetically engineered herbicide resistance in cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp by bialaphos resistance gene from Streptomyces hygroscopicus
A novel cyanobacterial vector, pTT201, containing the bar gene encoding resistance to herbicides, bialaphos and phosphinothricin, was constructed. In Synechococcus sp. strain PCC7942-SPc, the bar gene was successfully expressed. Plasmid pTT201 increased a minimum inhibitory concentration for bialaphos 16-fold over Synechococcus sp. strain PCC7942-SPc without pTT201. The combination of the bialaphos as a selective agent and the transformation by bar gene serves as a photostable selection system for Synechococcus.