Skip to main content
Log in

The role of Chi mutations in the Spi- phenotype of phage λ: Lack of evidence for a gene Delta

  • Published:
Molecular and General Genetics MGG Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

λ red - gam - makes a small plaque on P2 lysogens (the partial Spi- phenotype). It has been proposed that inactivation of an additional gene δ, mapping in the recombination region, makes the plaque bigger (the full Spi- phenotype) (Zissler et al., 1971b). The present paper demonstrates that the Chi mutation in λ (Stahl et al., 1975) confers upon red - gam - phage the full Spi- phenotype and that the deletion of the region of the chromosome attributed to δ does not. It appears unnecessary to invoke a gene δ in the Spi- phenotype.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Appleyard, R.K.: Segregation of new lysogenic types during growth of a doubly lysogenic strain derived from Escherichia coli K12. Genetics 39, 440–452 (1954)

    Google Scholar 

  • Brachet, P., Eisen, H., Rambach, A.: Mutations of coliphage λ affecting the expression of replicative functions O and P. Molec. gen. Genet. 108, 266–276 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown, A., Arber, W.: Temperature-sensitive mutants of coliphage lambda. Virology 24, 237–239 (1964)

    Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, A., del Campillo-Campbell, A.: Mutant of lambda bacteriophage producing a thermolabile endolysin. J. Bact. 85, 1202–1207 (1962)

    Google Scholar 

  • Chattoraj, D.K., Imman, R.B.: Tandem duplication in bacteriophage P2: Electron microscopic mapping. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. (Wash.) 71, 311–314 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Davis, R.W., Parkinson, J.S.: Deletion mutants of bacteriophage lambda. III.Physical structure of attϕ. J. molec. Biol. 56, 403–423 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  • Ellis, E.L., Delbrück, M.: The growth of bacteriophage. J. gen. Physiol. 22, 365–384 (1939)

    Google Scholar 

  • Henderson, D., Weil, J.: Recombination deficient deletions in bacteriophage λ and their interaction with chi mutations. Genetics, 79, 143–174 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Herskowitz, I., Signer, E.: A site essential for expression of all late genes in bacteriophage λ. J. molec. Biol. 47, 545–556 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hradecna, Z., Szybalski, W.: Electron micrographic maps of deletions and substitutions in the genomes of transducing coliphages λdg and λbio. Virology 38, 473–477 (1969)

    Google Scholar 

  • Lam, S.T., Stahl, M.M., McMilin, K.D., Stahl, F.W.: Rec-mediated recombinational hot spot activity in bacteriophage lambda. II. A mutation which causes hot spot activity. Genetics 77, 425–433 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Lederberg, S.: Suppression of the multiplication of heterologous bacteriophages in lysogenic bacteria. Virology 3, 496–513 (1957)

    Google Scholar 

  • Lindahl, G., Sironi, G., Baily, H., Calender, R.: Bacteriophage lambda; abortive infection of bacteria lysogenic for phage P2. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. (Wash.) 66, 587–594 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  • McMilin, K.D., Stahl, M.M., Stahl, F.W.: Rec-mediated recombinational hot spot activity in bacteriophage lambda. I. Hot spot activity associated Spi- deletions and bio substitutions. Genetics 77, 409–423 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Meselson, M.: On the mechanism of genetic recombination between DNA molecules. J. molec. Biol. 9, 734–745 (1964)

    Google Scholar 

  • Stahl, F.W., Crasemann, J.M., Stahl, M.M.: Rec-mediated recombinational hot spot activity in bacteriophage λ. III. Chi mutations are site-mutations stimulating Rec-mediated recombination. J. molec. Biol., 94, 203–212 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Stahl, M.M., Stahl, F.W.: DNA synthesis associated with recombination. I. Recombination in a DNA-negative host. In: The Bacteriophage Lambda (ed. A.D. Hershey), p. 431–442. Cold Spring Harbor, New York: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory 1971

    Google Scholar 

  • Szybalski, W., Herskowitz, I.: Lambda genetic elements. In: The Bacteriophage Lambda (ed. A.D. Hershey), p. 778–779. Cold Spring Harbor, New York: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory 1971

    Google Scholar 

  • Weigle, J.: Assembly of phage Lambda in vitro. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. (Wash.) 55, 1462–1466 (1966)

    Google Scholar 

  • Weil, J., Signer, E.R.: Recombination in bacteriophage λ. II. Site-specific recombination promoted by the integration system. J. molec. Biol. 34, 273–279 (1968)

    Google Scholar 

  • Zissler, J., Signer, E., Schaefer, F.: The role of recombination in growth of bacteriophage lambda. I. The gamma gene. In: The Bacteriophage Lambda (ed. A.D. Hershey), p. 455–468. Cold Spring Harbor, New York: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory 1971a

    Google Scholar 

  • Zissler, J., Signer, E., Schaefer, F.: The role of recombination in growth of bacteriophage lambda. II. Inhibition of growth by prophage P2. In: The Bacteriophage Lambda (ed. A.D. Hershey), p. 469–475. Cold Spring Harbor, New York: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory 1971b

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

Communicated by G. Bertani

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Malone, R.E., Chattoraj, D.K. The role of Chi mutations in the Spi- phenotype of phage λ: Lack of evidence for a gene Delta . Molec. Gen. Genet. 143, 35–41 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00269418

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00269418

Keywords

Navigation