Summary
We have isolated recombination deficient mutants of Bacillus subtilis on the basis of their sensitivity to methyl-methane-sulfonate or ultraviolet light, or of their inability to be transformed on solid medium. We have analyzed the mutants for several recombination and repair properties; we have grouped them in 5 classes on the basis of their phenotype and tested them for the activity of several enzymes acting on DNA, ie. DNA polymerase, polynucleotide ligase, ATP dependent DNase, and a DNase acting on single-stranded DNA. One mutant was found reduced in the latter DNase. Some of the mutants have been mapped, and they correspond to three different genes denominated rec D, rec F and rec G.
All the recombination deficient mutants of B. subtilis described in the literature have been grouped in 7 classes; the mutations belong to 13 (and possibly 15) different genes distributed along the map. A coherent nomenclature and the criteria for a standard study of the rec mutants are proposed.
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Abbreviations
- TFM:
-
Transformation
- TFC:
-
transfection
- TDC:
-
transduction
- HCR:
-
host cell reactivation
- UV:
-
ultraviolet radiation
- MMS:
-
methyl-methane-sulfonate
- EMS:
-
ethyl-methane-sulfonate
- MIT:
-
mitomycin
- C:
-
the suprascripts sandrrefer to sensitivity or resistance to the particular agent
- mic :
-
minimum inhibitory concentration
- pfu :
-
plaque forming unit
- moi :
-
multiplicity of infection
- U :
-
units of enzyme
- DTT:
-
dithiothreitol
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Communicated by R. Devoret
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Mazza, G., Fortunato, A., Ferrari, E. et al. Genetic and enzymic studies on the recombination process in Bacillus subtilis . Molec. Gen. Genet. 136, 9–30 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00275445
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00275445