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J Bacteriol. 1968 July; 96(1): 221-226
Copyright © 1968 American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Pl-mediated Transduction of a Gene That Controls Radiation Sensitivity and Capsular Polysaccharide Synthesis from Shigella dysenteriae to Escherichia coli

Department of Microbiology and LaRabida-University of Chicago Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637

ABSTRACT

When Shigella dysenteriae strain 60 is used as a donor and Escherichia coli K-12 strains that are ultraviolet (UV)-sensitive, mucoid, and proline-requiring (Pro^–) are employed as recipients, selection for Pro⁺ yields 2 to 6% nonmucoid clones. All of the nonmucoid clones examined are UV-resistant. Most of the nonmucoid UV-resistant transductants are partial diploids for the genes being studied. When these Shigella-Escherichia hybrids are used as donors with the same E. coli recipients, the cotransduction of Pro⁺ and nonmucoidness is greatly increased (59 to 94% cotransduction). All of these nonmucoid transductants examined were also UV-resistant. The results indicate that Shigella contains an allele (designated ShproC⁺) homologous to proC of E. coli and a second linked allele (designated ShcapR⁺) homologous to the capR allele of E. coli. The ShcapR⁺ allele changes the phenotype of certain E. coli strains from mucoid UV-sensitive (capR6) or very sensitive (capR9) to nonmucoid and UV-resistant. Unanticipated capR allele interactions in the partial diploid hybrids are described.