Open AccessGenetic analysis of Myxococcus xanthus and isolation of gene replacements after transduction under conditions of limited homology
Author(s) -
Kathleen O’Connor,
David R. Zusman
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
journal of bacteriology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.652
H-Index - 246
eISSN - 1067-8832
pISSN - 0021-9193
DOI - 10.1128/jb.167.2.744-748.1986
Subject(s) - myxococcus xanthus , biology , homology (biology) , gene , transduction (biophysics) , bacteriophage , genetics , dna , phenotype , escherichia coli , biochemistry , mutant
Genetic analysis of Myxococcus xanthus is greatly facilitated by the ability to introduce cloned DNA into M. xanthus to generate gene replacement and merodiploid strains. However, gene replacement strains are difficult to obtain when the region(s) of homology between the cloned DNA and the M. xanthus chromosome is limited (less than 1 kilobase). We found that gene replacements can be obtained at an increased frequency by a two-step procedure involving the use of bacteriophage P1 to isolate merodiploid strains followed by generalized transduction to another M. xanthus strain by using phage Mx4.