A mutant temperature-sensitive for R-plasmid replication, Rms201ts14, was isolated from composite plasmid Rms201 after mutagenesis of P1 transducing lysate with 100 mM hydroxylamine for 40 h at 37 degrees C. When Escherichia coli ML1410(Rms201ts14)(+) was grown at temperatures between 40 and 42 degrees C in L broth, antibiotic-sensitive cells were segregated. When the incubation temperature of ML1410(Rms201ts14)(+) in L-broth was shifted to 42 from 30 degrees C, the increase in the number of antibiotic-resistant cells ceased 90 min after the temperature shift. However, the total number of cells continuously increased, and only 3% of the cells retained the plasmid at 5 h after the temperature shift to 42 degrees C. At 30 degrees C the amounts of covalently closed circular deoxyribonucleic acid per chromosome of Rms201ts14 and Rms201 were 3.8 and 6.3%, respectively. Incorporation of radioactive thymidine into the covalently closed circular deoxyribonucleic acid of Rms201ts14 did not take place at 42 degrees C, whereas radioactive thymidine was incorporated into the covalently closed circular deoxyribonucleic acid of Rms201 at a rate of 4%/chromosome even at 42 degrees C. The synthesis of plasmid covalently closed circular deoxyribonucleic acid in a cell harboring Rms201ts14 was almost completely blocked at 42 degrees C. These results indicated that the gene(s) responsible for plasmid deoxyribonucleic acid replication was affected in the mutant Rms201ts14. Temperature-sensitive miniplasmid pMSts214, which has a molecular weight of 5.3 x 10(6) and encodes ampicillin resistance, was isolated from Rms201ts14. Similarly, miniplasmid pMS201, which encodes single ampicillin resistance, was isolated from its parent, Rms201, and its molecular weight was 4.7 x 10(6). These results indicate that the gene(s) causing temperature sensitivity for replication of Rms201 resides on the miniplasmid.