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. 1978 Oct;136(1):247–252. doi: 10.1128/jb.136.1.247-252.1978

6-cyanopurine, a color indicator useful for isolating mutations in the nif (nitrogen fixation) genes of Klebsiella pneumoniae.

D MacNeil, W J Brill
PMCID: PMC218655  PMID: 361692

Abstract

6-Cyanopurine (6-CP) can be used as a color indicator for certain classes of nif (N2 fixation) mutations in Klebsiella pneumoniae. Under N2-fixing conditions, Nif+ colonies and most Nif- colonies are purple on media containing 6-CP. Twenty-two Nif- mutants with altered color on medium containing 6-CP were isolated. All white mutants contained mutations in the regulatory genes, nifAA-nifL. Mutants which were more darkly colored than the wild type had mutations distributed among six nif genes. Medium with 6-CP was used to isolate Nif- mutants with deletions internal to the nif genes, and 6-CP was used to identify strains depressed for nitrogenase synthesis in the presence of NH4+.

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Selected References

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