Summary
In E. coli mutants thermosensitive in DNA synthesis the capacity for replication of bacteriophages λ, P1 and T4 was studied in order to obtain more information about the biochemical lesions in such strains. Two mutant types were used. In one of them DNA synthesis stops immediately at the restrictive temperature (mutant 165/70). In the other type DNA synthesis continues at the elevated temperature for a residual time period before it comes to a halt (mutant 252). The thermolabile synthetic steps involved in both mutant types are presently still unknown.
The temperate phages λ and P1 differ in their ability to replicate in the mutant types at temperatures non-permissive for host cell DNA synthesis. Replication of phage λ is blocked in 165/70 but can still take place in 252 after host DNA synthesis has come to a halt. Phage P1 shows the opposite behaviour. It grows in the mutant 165/70 but its ability to replicate in 252 at 42° C is restricted to the period of residual host cell DNA synthesis observed in uninfected cells. Replication of phage T4 on the other hand is unimpeded in both mutants at restrictive temperatures.
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Communicated by E. Witkin
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Lanka, E., Schuster, H. Replication of bacteriophages in Escherichia coli mutants thermosensitive in DNA synthesis. Molec. Gen. Genetics 106, 274–285 (1970). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00340386
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00340386