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Title: Rifampin-stimulated uv resistance of phage lambda on Escherichia coli K12

Conference ·
OSTI ID:5808090

The plaque survival of uv-irradiated phage lambda on excision-proficient E.coli strain AB1157 is greater if the host cells are exposed to rifampin for 10 minutes prior to infection. This repair is accompanied by little or no clear-plaque mutagenesis. Host cells uv-irradiated and incubated for 30 minutes in growth medium prior to treatment with rifampin show some Weigle-reactivation in addition to the repair stimulated by rifampin. Some clear-plaque Weigle-mutagenesis is also observed in the presence of rifampin: however, the amount is less than that seen in the absence of rifampin treatment. In contrast, the uv sensitivity of lambda on strain AB1886, an excision-repair deficient mutant, is unchanged by pre-treating the cells with rifampin, and no Weigle-reactivation is observed. These results suggest that repair of lambda on unirradiated cells in the presence of rifampin is an excision-dependent, error-free phenomenon. Since initiation of replication of lambda DNA requires RNA polymerase, and since rifampin blocks transcription by that polymerase, the effect of rifampin on the survival of lambda may be to delay phage replication, thereby allowing more time for excision repair to operate. 6 figures.

Research Organization:
Duke Univ., Durham, NC (USA). Dept. of Zoology
DOE Contract Number:
AS05-76EV03631
OSTI ID:
5808090
Report Number(s):
CONF-8306264-1; ON: DE85008551
Resource Relation:
Conference: 11. annual meeting of the American Society for Photobiology, Madison, WI, USA, 26 Jun 1983
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English