Open AccessTopological Relationship of Prophage λ to the Bacterial Chromosome in Lysogenic Cells
Author(s) -
David Freifelder,
Matthew Meselson
Publication year - 1970
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.65.1.200
Subject(s) - prophage , lysogenic cycle , dna , genetics , circular bacterial chromosome , biology , chromosome , covalent bond , microbiology and biotechnology , escherichia coli , chemistry , gene , dna replication , bacteriophage , organic chemistry
X irradiation converts bacterial sex factor DNA covalent circles to more slowly sedimenting forms according to first order kinetics. The rate of conversion is greater for sex factors carrying λ prophage than it is for nonlysogenized sex factors. The magnitude of the difference and the absence of covalent circular DNA from the product show that the prophage DNA is linearly inserted into the sex factor, as predicted by Campbell's model for lysogenization.