Nature of Rec⁺ revertants isolated from Escherichia coli K-12 cultures with recA^- mutations

Abstract

The nature of Rec⁺ revertants isolated previously from cultures of recombinationally defective strainEscherichia coli K-12 AB 2463 recA13 was studied. With the aid of phage P1 vira the chromosome region of the recA gene in cells of strain JC2915F^- were transduced, after which the recombination capacity of the transductants was determined by crossing with JC158Hfr cells and their resistance to ultraviolet radiation was established. Sensitivity of the transductants to suppressor phages was determined. The Rec⁺ revertants were shown to differ with respect to the recA gene. In some Rec⁺ revertants the Rec⁺ phenotype appeared as the result of a back mutation in this gene from rec^- to rec⁺, whereas in other revertants the Rec⁺ phenotype was due to indirect suppression.