Sensitivity of Escherichia coli to Viral Nucleic Acid

IV. Transfection of Phage DNA to Mutant Thermosensitive in Wall Synthesis

抄録

Cellular competence for transfection was investigated using a thermosensitive wall mutant E. coli ts34a and φA DNA. When the mutant cells were grown in broth at 41°C, death and lysis occurred after a lag period. The lysis was prevented by addition of sucrose or glycerol to the medium. Chloramphenicol remarkably reduced the extent of cell death. During growth at 41°C, the cells became susceptible of transfection with viral DNA. In broth, usually two peaks of competence were found but extent and phase of competence were greatly influenced by osmotic environment as well as by temperature. Conditions which allowed cells to grow with full viability suppressed the development of competence. Temperature shift did not induce the sensitivity to viral DNA in normal E. coil strains.