Summary The totally random insertion of phage Mu-1 into the Escherichia coli chromosome is described. Its significance for tumor viruses and genetic engineering is discussed.

Random Nonhomologous Recombination

A new temperate bacteriophage (phage Mul) of E. coli strain K12 is described. Sensitive bacteria infected with Mu1 exhibit increased forward mutation rates at many gene loci. The prophage of Mul is always closely linked to the chromosomal sites of phage-induced mutation It is proposed that loss of genetic functions is a direct consequence of phage integration at functional loci. The potential uses of this system for studying the mechanism of integration are discussed. (auth)

https://www.pnas.org/content/pnas/50/6/1043.full.pdf

Bacteriophage-induced mutation in escherichia coli.

THE temperate bacteriophage Mu-1 can induce mutations at many different loci in the genome of its host bacterium Escherichia coli K12 (see ref. 1). The mutations are assumed to arise by the insertion of Mu-1 DNA within the affected genes, as the sites of mutations are inseparable from the prophage sites by genetic criteria2, 3. It has been inferred therefore that Mu-1 can integrate at a very large number of chromosomal sites. This attribute of Mu-1 makes it distinct from other known temperate coliphages; the lambdoid phages attach at a particular site4, P2 phage attaches at a limited number of sites5 and P1 resides in the cell as a plasmid6.

Random Nonhomologous Recombination

References

Bacteriophage-induced mutation in escherichia coli.

Random Insertion of Mu-1 DNA within a Single Gene

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