title: rec-2-dependent phage recombination in Haemophilus influenzae.
abstract: The genetic transformation mutant Rd(DB117)rec- has a pleiotropic phenotype that includes reduced levels of phage recombination. Physical mapping experiments showed that this strain has a 78.5-kbp insertion in the rec-2 gene. The rec-2 dependence of phage recombination was reexamined to determine whether the defective phenotype in Rd(DB117)rec- was due to the simple disruption of the rec-2 gene or whether trans-acting factors from the inserted DNA were responsible. Analysis of strains with transposon insertions in the rec-2 gene showed that they were also defective for phage recombination. Therefore, the phage recombination defect was due solely to the disruption of the rec-2 gene. Strain KB6 is proficient for phage recombination but has a defect in genetic transformation resembling that of Rd(DB117)rec-. The transformation defect of KB6 could be complemented by the wild-type rec-2 gene, showing that the rec-2 contributions to genetic transformation and phage recombination were uncoupled in this strain. The rec-2-dependent phenotype of KB6 suggests that the rec-2 gene participates in genetic transformation and phage recombination in different ways.
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany and Microbiology, University of Oklahoma, Norman 73019-7619.
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Kupfer
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: McCarthy
mesh_terms: D001435:Bacteriophages / Q000235:genetics*; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D015321:Gene Rearrangement; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D005816:Genetic Complementation Test; D006193:Haemophilus influenzae / Q000235:genetics*; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D014170:Transformation, Genetic
chemical_list: D004251:DNA Transposable Elements