Six bacterial isolates belonging to the genus Pseudomonas were
selected for their high ability to utilize crude oil. These isolates showed a
diverge ability for utilization of different hydrocarbon compounds and 2
isolates (P. aeruginosa RB19 and Pseudomonas sp. RB29) were able to
utilize all the tested compounds except tetrahydrofuran, sodium toluate and
trans–1, 2–diphenylethylene. Conjugation between P. aeruginosa RB19
and P. aeruginosa RB27 was made in an attempt to obtain bacterial
isolates, capable to utilize a wide range of hydrocarbon compounds. The
conjugation was successful and a number of transconjugants were obtained.
All transconjugants were able to utilize sodium toluate, and some of these
transconjugants were able to utilize salicylic acid. This indicated that
P. aeruginosa RB27 was the recipient bacterium which received pSR202
plasmid (responsible for salicylic acid and benzoate utilization) from
P. aeruginosa RB19.