[Effect of mutations in Escherichia coli genes PolAm RecA, RecB and RecC on the frequency of genetic recombination in amber-mutants involving the early genes of bacteriophage T4]

Abstract

Effects of mutations in genes PolA, RecA, RecB and RecC of Escherichia coli on the recombination frequencies between rII markers of T4 have been studied in conditions of partial inhibition of some early functions. It was found that the presence of the mutations in genes PolA or RecA decreased significantly the recombination frequency of phage amber mutant in the gene 43 (DNA polymerase), increased it in the case of amber mutation in the gene 46 (exonuclease) and had no effect on the recombination of amber mutants in genes 30, 32, 33, 41, 42, 45, 44, 52. None of the amber mutants studied changed recombination frequencies in the presence of the mutations in genes RecB or RecC. Possible mechanisms of some of the effects observed are discussed.