Effect of UV irradiation on transduction by coliphage T1

Abstract

Lysates of the virulent coliphage T1 transduce seven markers between strains of Escherichia coli with reproducilble efficiencies which range from 10(-7) to 10(-5). The ability of a UV-irradiated lysate to transduce Arg(+), Str(R), Trp(+), Lac(+), and Pro(+) is 90% and Bio(+) is 99% inactivated by doses which inactivate plaque formation of T1 by six orders of magnitude. A dose of irradiation which causes a 1- to 2-log drop in the titer of T1 stimulated Gal(+) transduction by two- to three-fold; no other marker tested was stimulated. Irradiation causes dislinkage of some co-transducible markers but not others.