CONSTRUCTION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF φ105 SPECIALIZED TRANSDUCING PHAGES CARRYING SPORULATION GENES spoOB AND spoOF OF BACILLUS SUBTILIS

Abstract

Sporulation genes spoOB and spoOF of Bacillus subtilis were cloned in a temperate phage φ105 using the "prophage transformation" method. The phages obtained (φ105spoOB-2 and φ105spo0F-1) did not form plaques, but multiplied without a helper phage when they were induced. Transduction by these phages depended on the presence of helper phage, suggesting that they were defective in lysogenization. The EcoRI cleavage maps of these phage DNAs were constructed.