Genetic analysis of amidase mutants ofPseudomonas aeruginosa

Abstract

SUMMARYMutants ofPseudomonas aeruginosa, which differed in amide growth phenotype from the wild-type strain, were subjected to genetic analysis using the generalized transducing phage F116. The map order of some mutational sites was determined by 3-factor crosses in which a mutation in the linked regulator geneamiRwas used as the outside marker to determine the relative order of mutations in the amidase structural geneamiE. Acetamide-positive transductants were recovered in crosses between amidase-negative strains and strains PhB3(PAC377), V2(PAC353) and V5(PAC356) producing mutant amidases which hydrolyse phenylacetamide and valeramide but not acetamide. Some recombinants carried the mutationamiE16 determining the properties of the mutant B amidase produced by strain B6(PAC351) from which both PhB and V class mutants were derived, while other recombinants produced A amidase determined by the wild-typeamiEgene.