Summary
Among mutants refractory to colicin E2 at low temperatures but sensitive at high temperatures (designated Ref-II), three strains are described which are also UV sensitive. Although colicin refractivity is temperature dependent UV sensitivity is expressed at all temperatures. Although the UV sensitive lesion appears to be similar in its effects to that in Rec (recombinationless) strains, mutants specifically isolated as Rec strains are in fact more sensitive to E2 than are wild type strains. It is suggested that E2 refractivity and UV sensitivity in the mutants probably reflects the phenotypic expression of distinct although linked genes. It is also suggested that the degradation of DNA stimulated by adsorption of E2 to wild type bacteria may be caused by the same enzyme(s) which causes enhanced breakdown of DNA in some rec − mutants after UV irradiation.
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Holland, I.B. The properties of UV sensitive mutants of Escherichia coli K12 which are also refractory to colicin E2. Molec. Gen. Genet. 100, 242–251 (1967). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00381819
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00381819