Skip to main content
PMC home page
Journal of Bacteriology logoLink to Journal of Bacteriology
. 1969 Oct;100(1):337–346. doi: 10.1128/jb.100.1.337-346.1969

Effect of R Factors and Other Plasmids on Ultraviolet Susceptibility and Host Cell Reactivation Property of Escherichia coli

A G Siccardi a,1
PMCID: PMC315397  PMID: 4898998

Abstract

Some R factors, like some colicin factors, confer partial protection against the bactericidal effect of ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. Of 31 plasmids (17 R, 3 col, and 11 R-col factors) tested in Escherichia coli K-12, 15 protected, 11 had little or no effect, and 5 caused increased UV susceptibility. The effect of representative plasmids was qualitatively the same in K-12 of wild-type UV sensitivity, λ-lysogenic or non-lysogenic, and in UV-sensitive mutants of classes uvrA, uvrB, uvrC, and recA (except that a sensitizing factor did not increase the sensitivity of two recA hosts). It is inferred that the UV-protecting effect of some plasmids does not result from their specifying enzymes similar to those deficient in such mutants. UV killing of multiply auxotrophic K-12, of wild-type sensitivity or recA or uvrC, was reduced by deprivation of required amino acids for 2 hr before irradiation, and further reduced if “starvation” was continued for 2 hr after irradiation. The plasmids tested in these conditions produced qualitatively the same effects as in nonstarved cells—except that in K-12 of wild-type UV sensitivity the effect of protecting plasmids was reversed (i.e. they caused decreased survival) when the cells were starved after irradiation. Two UV-protecting R factors reduced the ability of HCR+ K-12 to support growth of irradiated phage T1.

Full text

PDF

Selected References

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

  1. AMATI P. VEGETATIVE MULTIPLICATION OF COLICINOGENIC FACTORS AFTER INDUCTION IN ESCHERICHIA COLI. J Mol Biol. 1964 Feb;8:239–246. doi: 10.1016/s0022-2836(64)80133-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. CLOWES R. C., ROWLEY D. Some observations on linkage effects in genetic recombination in Escherichia coli K-12. J Gen Microbiol. 1954 Oct;11(2):250–260. doi: 10.1099/00221287-11-2-250. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Drabble W. T., Stocker B. A. R (transmissible drug-resistance) factors in Salmonella typhimurium: pattern of transduction by phage P22 and ultraviolet-protection effect. J Gen Microbiol. 1968 Aug;53(1):109–123. doi: 10.1099/00221287-53-1-109. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. HAYES W. [Observations on a transmissible agent determining sexual differentiation in Bacterium coli]. J Gen Microbiol. 1953 Feb;8(1):72–88. doi: 10.1099/00221287-8-1-72. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Helinski D. R., Herschman H. R. Effect of Rec mutations on the activity of colicinogenic factors. J Bacteriol. 1967 Sep;94(3):700–706. doi: 10.1128/jb.94.3.700-706.1967. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Howard-Flanders P., Boyce R. P., Theriot L. Three loci in Escherichia coli K-12 that control the excision of pyrimidine dimers and certain other mutagen products from DNA. Genetics. 1966 Jun;53(6):1119–1136. doi: 10.1093/genetics/53.6.1119. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Howard-Flanders P. DNA repair. Annu Rev Biochem. 1968;37:175–200. doi: 10.1146/annurev.bi.37.070168.001135. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Howard-Flanders P., Theriot L. Mutants of Escherichia coli K-12 defective in DNA repair and in genetic recombination. Genetics. 1966 Jun;53(6):1137–1150. doi: 10.1093/genetics/53.6.1137. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Howarth S. Resistance to the bactericidal effect of ultraviolet radiation conferred on Enterobacteria by the colicine factor coli. J Gen Microbiol. 1965 Jul;40(1):43–55. doi: 10.1099/00221287-40-1-43. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Meynell E., Datta N. The relation of resistance transfer factors to the F-factor (sex-factor) of Escherichia coli K12. Genet Res. 1966 Feb;7(1):134–140. doi: 10.1017/s0016672300009538. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Meynell E., Meynell G. G., Datta N. Phylogenetic relationships of drug-resistance factors and other transmissible bacterial plasmids. Bacteriol Rev. 1968 Mar;32(1):55–83. doi: 10.1128/br.32.1.55-83.1968. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Nomura M. Colicins and related bacteriocins. Annu Rev Microbiol. 1967;21:257–284. doi: 10.1146/annurev.mi.21.100167.001353. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Rownd R., Nakaya R., Nakamura A. Molecular nature of the drug-resistance factors of the Enterobacteriaceae. J Mol Biol. 1966 Jun;17(2):376–393. doi: 10.1016/s0022-2836(66)80149-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Siccardi A. G. Colicin resistance associated with resistance factors in Escherichia coli. Genet Res. 1966 Oct;8(2):219–228. doi: 10.1017/s0016672300010077. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Takano T., Watanabe T., Fukasawa T. Specific inactivation of infectious lambda DNA by sonicates of restrictive bacteria with R factors. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1966 Oct 20;25(2):192–198. doi: 10.1016/0006-291x(66)90579-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

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

RESOURCES