Construction of a Gene Library from Azospirillum Brasilense and Characterization of a Recombinant Containing the Nif Structural Genes

1. We have constructed a gene library, from Azospirillum brasilense using the vector EMBL4. 2. A recombinant containing the nif structural genes from A. brasilense was isolated and characterized. This recombinant contains a DNA insert of about 15 kilobases (kb) which gives rise to five fragments after cleavage with EcoRI. Only one of the DNA fragments (6.5 kb) hybridized to the nifHDK genes of Klebsiella pneumoniae. 3. The organization of the nif genes in this DNA fragment was determined using different DNA segments containing the nifH, nifK or nifD genes of K. pneumoniae as probes.