title: Recombination-promoting activity of the bacteriophage lambda Rap protein in Escherichia coli K-12.
abstract: The rap gene of bacteriophage lambda was placed in the chromosome of an Escherichia coli K-12 strain in which the recBCD gene cluster had previously been replaced by the lambda red genes and in which the recG gene had been deleted. Recombination between linear double-stranded DNA molecules and the chromosome was tested in variants of the recGDelta red(+) rap(+) strain bearing mutations in genes known to affect recombination in other cellular pathways. The linear DNA was a 4-kb fragment containing the cat gene, with flanking lac sequences, released from an infecting phage chromosome by restriction enzyme cleavage in the cell. Replacement of wild-type lacZ with lacZ::cat was monitored by measuring the production of Lac-deficient chloramphenicol-resistant bacterial progeny. The results of these experiments indicated that the lambda rap gene could functionally substitute for the E. coli ruvC gene in Red-mediated recombination.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Genetics & Microbiology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01655, USA. anthony.poteete@umassmed.edu
authors.forename: Anthony R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Poteete
authors.forename: Anita C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Fenton
authors.forename: Hsinju R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D010582:Bacteriophage lambda / Q000502:physiology*; D002876:Chromosomes, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology; D004706:Endodeoxyribonucleases / Q000235:genetics; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics* / Q000821:virology*; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D010641:Phenotype; D011995:Recombination, Genetic / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; C110354:rap protein, bacteria; C069806:ruvC protein, E coli; D004706:Endodeoxyribonucleases