This book includes the proceedings of a NATO Advanced Study Institute held at Cesme (Turkey), from September 4 to 14, 1983. Recent advances in molecular biology have generated a wave of excitement about the prospective application of novel micro- biological techniques in a wide range of industrial roles. The new methodology, brought about by recombinant DNA technology, has given the biologist direct access to the genome which in turn, envisages the adaption of certain microorganisms to industrial production, much higher yields of such products as antibiotics and enzymes by biotechnological industry, and the industrial production of sub- stances which occur in nature in very low concentrations and cannot be economically recovered. In the chapters that follow, the accomplishments and the promise of genetic engineering and industrial microbiology are set forth by its practitioners. We greatly acknowledge the help of those in preparation of the individual manuscripts and our thanks to all participants of the meeting for their particular efforts. Nafi G Alaeddinoglu Arnold L Demain Giancarlo C Lancini v CONTENTS Plasmid Incompatibility and Replication . . . . . . . . .. . 1 A. Tolun A Transposable Element from Halobacterium halobium 9 which Inactivates the Bacteriorhodopsin Gene M. im ek Streptomycete Plasmid Cloning Vectors 19 C.J. Thompson and J.E. Davies Genetic Instability in Streptomyces 27 R. Hutter and G. Hintermann Novel Techniques for Breeding of Microorganisms and Application of the Microorganisms to Production of Glutathione . . . . . . . . 35 A. Kimura 49 Amino Acid Overproduction . . . .