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.
Center for Microbial Ecology, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48824.
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Sniegowski
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