Skip to main content
Journal of Bacteriology logoLink to Journal of Bacteriology
. 1974 Dec;120(3):1213–1218. doi: 10.1128/jb.120.3.1213-1218.1974

In Vivo Studies of Temperature-Sensitive recB and recC Mutants

Sidney R Kushner a,1
PMCID: PMC245902  PMID: 4612007

Abstract

Some in vivo properties of Escherichia coli K-12 strains carrying recB270 (formerly recBts1) and recC271 (formerly recCts1) mutations have been determined. Single recB270 and recC271 mutants appear normal at 30 C with regard to ultraviolet and mitomycin C sensitivity, recombination proficiency, and viability. At 43 C these strains become sensitive to ultraviolet and mitomycin C, while showing only a slight decrease in recombination proficiency. The viable titers of the single mutants are somewhat reduced at 43 C. Double mutant strains carrying polA1 and recB270 or recC271 are inviable at 43 C. The double mutant strain (recB270 recC271) is sensitive to both UV and mitomycin C at 30 C, but shows only slightly reduced recombination proficiency. At 43 C the strain resembles absolute recB and recC mutants in all respects. In addition, the double mutant strain exhibits a temperature-induced drop in viable titer. The triple mutant polA1 recB270 recC271 is viable at 30 C. Two hypotheses are advanced to explain these results.

Full text

PDF
1214

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Barbour S. D., Clark A. J. Biochemical and genetic studies of recombination proficiency in Escherichia coli. I. Enzymatic activity associated with recB+ and recC+ genes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1970 Apr;65(4):955–961. doi: 10.1073/pnas.65.4.955. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Buttin G., Wright M. Enzymatic DNA degradation in E. coli: its relationship to synthetic processes at the chromosome level. Cold Spring Harb Symp Quant Biol. 1968;33:259–269. doi: 10.1101/sqb.1968.033.01.030. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. CLARK A. J., MARGULIES A. D. ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF RECOMBINATION-DEFICIENT MUTANTS OF ESCHERICHIA COLI K12. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1965 Feb;53:451–459. doi: 10.1073/pnas.53.2.451. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Capaldo-Kimball F., Barbour S. D. Involvement of recombination genes in growth and viability of Escherichia coli K-12. J Bacteriol. 1971 Apr;106(1):204–212. doi: 10.1128/jb.106.1.204-212.1971. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Demerec M., Adelberg E. A., Clark A. J., Hartman P. E. A proposal for a uniform nomenclature in bacterial genetics. Genetics. 1966 Jul;54(1):61–76. doi: 10.1093/genetics/54.1.61. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Emmerson P. T. Recombination deficient mutants of Escherichia coli K12 that map between thy A and argA. Genetics. 1968 Sep;60(1):19–30. doi: 10.1093/genetics/60.1.19. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Goldmark P. J., Linn S. An endonuclease activity from Escherichia coli absent from certain rec- strains. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1970 Sep;67(1):434–441. doi: 10.1073/pnas.67.1.434. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Goldmark P. J., Linn S. Purification and properties of the recBC DNase of Escherichia coli K-12. J Biol Chem. 1972 Mar 25;247(6):1849–1860. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Haefner K. Spontaneous lethal sectoring, a further feature of Escherichia coli strains deficient in the function of rec and uvr genes. J Bacteriol. 1968 Sep;96(3):652–659. doi: 10.1128/jb.96.3.652-659.1968. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Kushner S. R. Differential thermolability of exonuclease and endonuclease activities of the recBC nuclease isolated from thermosensitive recB and recC mutants. J Bacteriol. 1974 Dec;120(3):1219–1222. doi: 10.1128/jb.120.3.1219-1222.1974. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Monk M., Kinross J. Conditional lethality of recA and recB derivatives of a strain of Escherichia coli K-12 with a temperature-sensitive deoxyribonucleic acid polymerase I. J Bacteriol. 1972 Mar;109(3):971–978. doi: 10.1128/jb.109.3.971-978.1972. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Oishi M. An ATP-dependent deoxyribonuclease from Escherichia coli with a possible role in genetic recombination. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1969 Dec;64(4):1292–1299. doi: 10.1073/pnas.64.4.1292. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Taylor A. L., Trotter C. D. Linkage map of Escherichia coli strain K-12. Bacteriol Rev. 1972 Dec;36(4):504–524. doi: 10.1128/br.36.4.504-524.1972. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Templin A., Kushner S. R., Clark A. J. Genetic analysis of mutations indirectly suppressing recB and recC mutations. Genetics. 1972 Oct;72(2):105–115. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Tomizawa J., Ogawa H. Structural genes of ATP-dependent deoxyribonuclease of Escherichia coli. Nat New Biol. 1972 Sep 6;239(88):14–16. doi: 10.1038/newbio239014a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Willetts N. S., Clark A. J., Low B. Genetic location of certain mutations conferring recombination deficiency in Escherichia coli. J Bacteriol. 1969 Jan;97(1):244–249. doi: 10.1128/jb.97.1.244-249.1969. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Willetts N. S., Mount D. W. Genetic analysis of recombination-deficient mutants of Escherichia coli K-12 carrying rec mutations cotransducible with thyA. J Bacteriol. 1969 Nov;100(2):923–934. doi: 10.1128/jb.100.2.923-934.1969. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Bacteriology are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES