Summary
Phage λcl + gives clear plaques whereas phage λcIind - gives turbid plaques on a lawn of a mutant strain of E. coli K12. This strain, called STS, carries mutation spr in a tif sfi genetic background. I hypothesize that upon temperate phage infection, STS bacteria spontaneously inactivate phage repressor by the same mechanism involved in normal lysogenic induction which results in obligatory lytic growth of λ+. The use of the STS mutant facilitates the isolation and genetic analysis of phage mutants with an abnormal response to lysogenic induction.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bailone, A., Blanco, M., Devoret, R.: E. coli K-12 inf: a mutant deficient in prophage λ induction and cell filamentation. Molec. gen. Genet. 136, 291–307 (1975)
Borek, E., Ryan, A.: Lysogenic induction. Progr. Nucl. Acid. Res. Mol. Biol. 13, 249–300 (1973)
Castellazzi, M., George, J., Buttin G.: Prophage induction and cell division in E. coli II. Linked (recA, zab) and unlinked (lex) suppressors of tif-1 mediated induction and filamentation. Molec. gen. Genet. 119, 153–174 (1972b)
Dove, W.: Strains of phage lambda in current use. Virology 38, 349–351 (1969)
Eshima, N., Fujii, S., Horiuchi, T.: Isolation of λind - mutants. Jap. J. Genet. 47, 125–128 (1972)
George, J., Castellazzi, M., Buttin, G.: Prophage induction and cell division in E. coli III. Mutations sfiA and sfiB restore division in tif and lon strains and permit the expression of mutator properties of tif. Molec. gen. Genet. 140, 309–332 (1975)
Grodzicker, T., Arditti, R.R., Eisen, H.: Establishment of repression by lambdoid phage in catabolite activator protein and adenylate cyclase mutants of Escherichia coli. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. (Wash.) 69, 366–370 (1972)
Hong, J., Smith, Gerald, R., Ames, B.N.: Adenosine 3′:5′-cyclic monophosphate concentration in the bacterial host regulates the viral decision between lysogeny and lysis. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. (Wash.) 68, 2258–2262 (1971)
Horiuchi, T., Inokuchi, H.: Temperature-sensitive regulation system of prophage lambda induction. J. molec. Biol. 23, 217–224 (1967)
Jacob, F., Campbell, A.: Sur le systeme de repression assurant l'immunite chez les bacteries lysogenes. C.R. Acad.Sci. (Paris) 248, 3219–3223 (1959)
Kirby, E.P., Jacob, F., Goldthwait, D.A.: Prophage induction and filament formation in a mutant strain of E. coli. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. (Wash.) 58, 1903–1910 (1967)
Lieb, M.: Ultraviolet sensitivity of Escherichia coli containing heat inducible λ mutants. Science 145, 175–176 (1964)
Mount, D.W., Low, K.B., Edminston, S.J.: Dominant mutations in E. coli K-12 (lex) which affect radiation sensitivity and frequency of ultraviolet-induced mutations. J. Bact. 112,886–893 (1972)
Pirotta, V., Ptashne, M.: Isolation of the 434 phage repressor. Nature (Lond.) 222, 541–544 (1969)
Ptashne, M., Isolation of the λ phage repressor. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. (Wash.) 57, 306–313 (1967)
Roberts, J.W., Roberts, C.W.: Proteolytis cleavage of bacteriophage lambda repressor in induction. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. (Wash.) 72, 147–151 (1975)
Tomizawa, J., Ogawa, J.: Effect of ultraviolet irradiation on bacteriophage lambda immunity. J. molec. Biol. 23, 247–264 (1967)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Communicated by R. Devoret
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Mount, D.W. A method for the isolation of phage mutants altered in their response to lysogenic induction. Molec. Gen. Genet. 145, 165–167 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00269589
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00269589