An Upper Limit on β-Galactosidase Transfer in Bacterial Conjugation

Abstract

An upper limit for β-galactosidase transfer between mating F + and F − Escherichia coli has been determined by a new technique which relies on selective lysis of the donor strain by heat induction of a thermo-inducible strain of λ, accompanied by chymotryptic digestion of the released β-galactosidase. No significant transfer of β-galactosidase during mating between F + and F − cells has been observed: 0.05 ± 0.05% of the enzyme originally present in the male cells is found in the female cells after 1 hr of mating at 37 C.