Transient expression of a chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene following transfection of Physarum polycephalum myxamoebae

Summary A plasmid was constructed containing a replication origin sequence from the Physarum ribosomal DNA molecule, and a bacterial chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene linked to a putative promoter of the long terminal repeat (LTR) of the Physarum HpaII-repeat element. The plasmid was transfected into Physarum myxamoebae either by electroporation or CaCl₂ treatment. In both cases significant transient levels of CAT gene expression were detected. Results were compared with those obtained with plasmids in which CAT gene expression was driven by eukaryotic virus promoters.