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Cell survival, UV-reactivation and induction of prophage λ in Escherichia coli K12 overproducing recA protein

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Summary

The effect of the cellular level of RecA protein on the ability of E. coli K12 bacteria to (i) survive UV-irradiation (ii) promote UV-reactivation of UV-damaged phage λ (iii) induce prophage λ was determined in bacterial mutants with discrete increasing levels of RecA protein. The various levels of RecA protein were obtained by combining lexA and recA alleles. Except for the double mutant lexA3 recAo98, whose repair ability was 25% less than that observed in wild type bacteria, bacterial survival was proportional to the level of RecA protein measured after 90 min of incubation. In lexA3 recAo98 bacteria, RecA protein, at a constitutive high basal level, failed to compensate totally for the lack of LexA repressor cleavage; UV-reactivation of UV-damaged phage λ was not restored; yet, prophage λ was induced with 35% efficiency. Efficient UV-induction of prophage λ is linked to the induction of lexA-controlled host processes that repair the UV-damaged prophage.

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Author notes

  1. P. Quillardet

    Present address: Unité de Toxicologie Génétique, Institut Pasteur, 75724, Paris Cedex 15, France

  2. P. L. Moreau

    Present address: Section of Biochemistry, Molecular and Cell Biology, Cornell University, Wing Hall, 14853, Ithaca, NY, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Section de Radiobiologie Cellulaire, Laboratoire d'Enzymologie du C.N.R.S., 91190, Gif-Sur-Yvette, France

    P. Quillardet, P. L. Moreau & R. Devoret

  2. Department of Molecular and Medical Microbiology, University of Arizona, College of Medicine, 85724, Tucson, AZ, USA

    H. Ginsburg & D. W. Mount

Authors
  1. P. Quillardet
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  2. P. L. Moreau
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  3. H. Ginsburg
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  4. D. W. Mount
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  5. R. Devoret
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Communicated by O. Siddiqi

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Quillardet, P., Moreau, P.L., Ginsburg, H. et al. Cell survival, UV-reactivation and induction of prophage λ in Escherichia coli K12 overproducing recA protein. Molec Gen Genet 188, 37–43 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00332993

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00332993

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