Mu-1 directed inhibition of DNA breakdown in Escherichia coli, recA cells

✍ Scribed by Van Vliet, F. ;Couturier, M. ;De Lafonteyne, J. ;Jedlicki, E.

• Publisher: Springer
• Year: 1978
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 268 KB
• Volume: 164
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0026-8925
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00267606

✦ Synopsis

The spontaneous DNA breakdown exhibited by recA strains, is reduced after heat induction of a thermoinducible Mu-1 prophage. This inhibition is dependent upon RNA synthesis, suggesting that Mu-1 directs synthesis of a recBC nuclease inhibitor, analogous to the product of the lambda gam gene. The genetic evidence presented here shows that Mu-1 enables a lambda red gam phage to grow on a recA host. The in vitro assay for ATP-dependent exonuclease activity reveals a complete inhibition of this activity 30 min after induction of the Mu-1 prophage.