0000000000191449
AUTHOR
G. Sermonti
Mechanism for polarized recombination in Streptomyces.
Recombination between pairs of mutations in a cluster of seven cistrons controlling histidine biosynthesis is highly polarized. The polarity is opposite at the opposite ends of the region. In experiments involving three his mutations it has been shown that recombination is the result of the transfer, from one parent to the other, of a segment going from the distal selected his+ allele to the end of the region. The rate of transfer is inversely proportional to the distance of the transferred his+ allele from the end of the region, at its side. A model of the process of recombination is discussed.
Complementation among developmental mutants in Aspergillus nidulans.
In heterokaryons between pairs of aconidial mutants of Aspergillus nidulans one of the component strains usually shows a striking prevalance in the contribution to the conidial crop. By assuming that the prevailing strain is blocked earlier and the succumbent one later in the process of differentiation, a series of mutations can be arranged in a consistent order. Some mutant strains do not fit the scheme exactly but show a general tendency to be succumbent to “early” mutants and prevalent over the “late” ones. A criterion for arraying genes involved in differentiation according to the order of their physiological action is proposed.
An operon for histidine biosynthesis in Streptomyces coelicolor
On the assumption that a cluster of five his genes (eight cistrons) in S. coelicolor corresponds to an operon, a genetic analysis of a constitutive mutant was carried out. This strain has a multi-site mutation localized at the (conventional) right end of the his cluster and is derepressed for at least two enzymes coded by genes of the cluster. The study of suitable heterozygous clones (heteroclones), showed the mutation to be cis-dominant, suggesting that the operator region is affected. Most likely the strain has a deletion connecting the his operon to an adjacent amm (ammonium requirement) operon as demonstrated by its inability to utilize nitrate as nitrogen source and to complement or r…
Infectious transfer of a fertility factor inStreptomyces coelicolor
SUMMARYInitial Fertility (IF) strains ofStreptomyces coelicolorare able to convert recipient strains (UF) to the IF condition by contact, without concomitant transfer of chromosomal markers. The conversion is prevented by the presence of acridine orange in the medium of the mixed culture. Acridine orange is also moderately effective in inducing the formation of UF variants from IF-treated strains. No effect of the drug is observed on UF variant formation from Normal Fertility (NF) strains nor on the behaviour of the fertility factor in NF × UF mixed cultures. The hypothesis is put forward that the fertility factor works as an episome inS. coelicolor, fixed to the chromosome in the NF strain…
The time course of recombinant production in Streptomyces coelicolor.
SUMMARYThe process leading to gene recombination can be interrupted in the filamentous bacteriaStreptomyces coelicolorby growing mixed cultures on cellophane disks lying on complete medium. The mycelium is harvested, broken, diluted and the broken hyphae plated at different time intervals. By this means some markers can be excluded from heteroclones or from recombinant progeny in early samples. The recombinant pattern clearly changes with time, with an increase of markers contributed to the recombinant progeny. In crosses between male (NF) and female (UF) strains, the maleness is the first donor trait to appear in the cells of the recipient parent. The fertility factor does not produce a tr…