The Role of Catabolic Plasmids in Biodegradation of Petroleum Hydrocarbons

Genes encoding biodegradation of oil hydrocarbons are often localized on large conjugative plasmids. Transmissibility of catabolic plasmids ensures the dissemination of biodegradation features within indigenous microbial populations. Horizontal gene transfer mediated by plasmids plays an important role in the adaptation of bacteria to polluted environments and can be useful for genetic bioaugmentation.