A plasmid pSDK-1 containing the Escherichia coli phosphofructokinase-1 (EC 2.7.1. 11) gene (pfkA) was constructed and transferred into Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans Tt-Z2 by conjugation. The transfer frequency of plasmid from E. coli to Tt-Z2 was 2.6 x 10(-6). More than 68% of Tt-Z2 cells carried the recombinant plasmids after being cultured for 50 generations without selective pressure, which showed that pSDK-1 was maintained consistently in Tt-Z2. The pfkA gene from E. coli could be expressed in this obligately autotrophic bacterium but the enzyme activity (14 U/g was lower than that in E. coli (K-12: 86 U/g; DF1010 carrying plasmid pSDK-1: 97 U/g). In th presence of glucose, the Tt-Z2 transconjugant consumed glucose leading to a better growth yield.