A test of the directed mutation hypothesis in Escherichia coli MCS2 using replica plating.
Excision of phage Mu from Escherichia coli MCS2 was originally put forth as a clear example of directed mutation. This claim was considerably weakened, however, by subsequent evidence that Mu excision occurs during starvation regardless of fitness consequences. Here, I use the classical replica-plating technique to examine Mu excision during starvation of MCS2. The results support the conclusion that Mu excision is not directed but is, instead, nonspecifically induced by starvation.
Sniegowski
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PD
Center for Microbial Ecology, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48824.
D001089:Arabinose / Q000096:biosynthesis; D010583:Bacteriophage mu / Q000235:genetics; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics*; D005798:Genes, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D007763:Lac Operon / Q000235:genetics; D008957:Models, Genetic; D016296:Mutagenesis / Q000235:genetics*; D009876:Operon / Q000235:genetics*; D011533:Proviruses / Q000235:genetics; D014775:Virus Activation
D001089:Arabinose