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Genetic and enzymic studies on the recombination process in Bacillus subtilis

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Summary

We have isolated recombination deficient mutants of Bacillus subtilis on the basis of their sensitivity to methyl-methane-sulfonate or ultraviolet light, or of their inability to be transformed on solid medium. We have analyzed the mutants for several recombination and repair properties; we have grouped them in 5 classes on the basis of their phenotype and tested them for the activity of several enzymes acting on DNA, ie. DNA polymerase, polynucleotide ligase, ATP dependent DNase, and a DNase acting on single-stranded DNA. One mutant was found reduced in the latter DNase. Some of the mutants have been mapped, and they correspond to three different genes denominated rec D, rec F and rec G.

All the recombination deficient mutants of B. subtilis described in the literature have been grouped in 7 classes; the mutations belong to 13 (and possibly 15) different genes distributed along the map. A coherent nomenclature and the criteria for a standard study of the rec mutants are proposed.

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Abbreviations

TFM:

Transformation

TFC:

transfection

TDC:

transduction

HCR:

host cell reactivation

UV:

ultraviolet radiation

MMS:

methyl-methane-sulfonate

EMS:

ethyl-methane-sulfonate

MIT:

mitomycin

C:

the suprascripts sandrrefer to sensitivity or resistance to the particular agent

mic :

minimum inhibitory concentration

pfu :

plaque forming unit

moi :

multiplicity of infection

U :

units of enzyme

DTT:

dithiothreitol

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Istituto di Genetica Università di Pavia, Pavia, Italy

    Giorgio Mazza, Adriana Fortunato, Eugenio Ferrari, Umberto Canosi, Arturo Falaschi & Mario Polsinelli

  2. Laboratorio di Genetica Biochimica ed Evoluzionistica del Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Pavia, Italy

    Giorgio Mazza, Adriana Fortunato, Eugenio Ferrari, Umberto Canosi, Arturo Falaschi & Mario Polsinelli

  3. Cattedra di Genetica, Università di Firenze, Via Romana 17, I-50125, Firenze, Italy

    Mario Polsinelli

Authors
  1. Giorgio Mazza
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  2. Adriana Fortunato
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  3. Eugenio Ferrari
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  4. Umberto Canosi
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  5. Arturo Falaschi
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  6. Mario Polsinelli
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Communicated by R. Devoret

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Mazza, G., Fortunato, A., Ferrari, E. et al. Genetic and enzymic studies on the recombination process in Bacillus subtilis . Molec. Gen. Genet. 136, 9–30 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00275445

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00275445

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