Concept explainers
Nine rII- mutants of bacteriophage T4 were used in pairwise infections of E. coli K(λ) hosts. Six of the mutations in these phages are point mutations; the other three are deletions. The ability of the doubly infected cells to produce progeny phages in large numbers is scored in the following chart.
The same nine mutants were then used in pairwise infections of E. coli B hosts. The production of progeny phages that can subsequently lyse E. coli K(λ) hosts is now scored. In the table, 0 means the progeny do not produce any plaques on E. coli K(λ) cells; − means that only a very few progeny phages produce plaques; and + means that many progeny produce plaques (more than 10 times as many as in the − cases).
a. | Which of the mutants are the three deletions? What criteria did you use to reach your conclusion? |
b. | If you know that mutation 9 is in the rIIB gene, draw the best genetic map possible to explain the data, including the positions of all point mutations and the extent of the three deletions. |
c. | One uncertainty should remain in your answer to part (b). How could you resolve this uncertainty? |
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ND STONY BROOK UNIVERSITY LOOSELEAF GENETICS: FROM GENES TO GENOMES
- Two mutations that affect plaque morphology in phages (a and b ) have been isolated. Phages carrying both mutations (a b) are mixed with wild-type phages (a* b*) and added to a culture of bacterial cells. Once the phages have infected and lysed the bacteria, samples of the phage lysate are collected and cultured on plated bacteria. The following numbers of plaques are observed: Plaque phenotype Number a* b* 2043 a* b- 320 a b* 357 2134 What is the frequency of recombination between the a and b genes?arrow_forwardBacteriophage P22 was used in generalized transduction experiments to infect the Salmonella typhimurium donor strains described in the table below. The resulting phage lysates were then used to infect the S. typhimurium recipient strains listed in the table. In each cross, a phenotype was selected for one of the three genetic markers studied (str, aceA, thrA), and then replicates were performed to select the corresponding recombinants for the other two markers. The results are given in the following table: Recipient strain Selected phenotype Selected recombinants Donor strain str thrA aceA+ thrA str aceA+ strs thrA+ aceA thrA+ str aceA Str Ace+ Str ThrA ThrA+ ThrA ThrA+ Ace Ace str: gene involved in streptomycin resistance, aceA gene involved in the use of acetate as a carbon source, thrA: gene involved in the biosynthesis of threonine. Number 60 40 95 5 10 90 Determine the order of the genes and draw a genetic map showing this orderarrow_forwardIn Hershey-Chase experiment, bacteriophages protein coats were tagged with radioactive isotope S-32. These phages were used to infect E. coli cells and the cells were further centrifuged to form pellets. Why was the radioactivity level of S-32 found greater outside the cells compared to the E. coli cell pellets? Explain briefly. If the experiment is repeated in the same manner but this time the phage protein coats are labelled with isotope X and the phage DNA with isotope Y, which isotope’s radioactivity will be found in greater amounts in the E. coli cell pellets after centrifugation? Explain briefly.arrow_forward
- The linear dsDNA genome of λ binds on the LamB receptor of E. Coli and conducts a normal lysogenic cycle. Exposure to stress will cause the excision of λ prophage from the E. Coli genome. The excised λ genome is then replicated, packaged, and released from the cell as mature λ phage particles and ready to infect other bacterial cells. Among λ phage particles,the transducing phage mediates a specific type of recombination. Understand this scenario and answer the following questions. 1. What are the basic requirements for the insertion of λ into the E. Coli genome? 2. What special features are found in the λ insertion site? 3. What type of recombination occurs with λ insertion in the E. Coli genome? 4. How you will differentiate λ transducing phage from normal λ phage? 5. What exclusive mechanism λ phage utilizes for recombination?arrow_forwardAustin Taylor and Edward Adelberg isolated some new strains of Hfr cells that they then used to map several genes in E. coli by using interrupted conjugation . In one experiment, they mixed cells of Hfr strain AB-312, which were xyl+ mtl+ mal+ met+ and sensitive to phage T6, with F− strain AB-531, which was xyl− mtl− mal− met− and resistant to phage T6. The cells were allowed to undergo conjugation. At regular intervals, the researchers removed a sample of cells and interrupted conjugation by killing the Hfr cells with phage T6. The F− cells, which were resistant to phage T6, survivedand were then tested for the presence of genes transferred from the Hfr strain. The results of this experiment are shown in the accompanying graph. On the basis of these data, give the order of the xyl, mtl, mal, and met genes on the bacterial chromosome and indicate the minimum distances between them.arrow_forwardIn recombination studies of the rII locus in phage T4, what is the significance of the value determined by calculating phage growth in the K12 versus the B strains of E. coli following simultaneous infection in E. coli B? Which value is always greater?arrow_forward
- Bacteriophage P22 was used in generalised transduction experiments to infect the Salmonella typhimurium donor strains described in the table below. The resulting phage lysates were then used to infect the recipient strains of S. typhimurium recipient strains listed in the table. In each cross, a phenotype was selected for one of the selected for one of the three genetic markers studied (str, aceA, thrA), and were made to select the recombinants corresponding to the other two markers. markers. The results are given in the following table: Strain I donor str thrA aceA thrA str aceA+ Strain recipient strs thrA+ aceA thrA str aceA Phenotype selected Str Ace+ Str recombinants selected ThrA ThrA ThrA ThrA Ace Ace Number 60 40 95 5 10 90 str: gene involved in streptomycin resistance, aceA: gene involved in the use of acetate as a carbon source, thrA: gene involved in threonine biosynthesis. 1) What are the selective media used in these three transduction experiments? to obtain the selected…arrow_forwardAustin Taylor and Edward Adelberg isolated some new strains of Hfr cells that they then used to map several genes in Escherichia coli by using interrupted conjugation. In one experiment, the researchers mixed cells of Hfr strain AB‑312, which were xyl+ mtl+ mal+ met+ and sensitive to phage T6, with F− strain AB‑531, which was xyl− mtl− mal− met− and resistant to phage T6. The cells were allowed to undergo conjugation. At regular intervals, the researchers removed a sample of cells and interrupted conjugation by killing the Hfr cells with phage T6. The F− cells, which were resistant to phage T6, survived and were then tested for the presence of genes transferred from the Hfr strain. The results of this experiment are shown in the graph. On the basis of these data, give the order of the xyl, mtl, mal, and met genes on the bacterial chromosome and the minimum distances between them in minutes. The origin of transfer is represented by the red triangle. The distances between genes are not…arrow_forwardEight mutant bacteriophage strains cannot lyse a certain type of bacteria that can be lysed by wild-type bacteriophages. The mutant strains were allowed to infect the bacteria in a complementation test. A "+" indicates that lysis occurred with coinfection. A "-" indicates that lysis did not occur. GKWTMAQC G- ++++- K W T M A Q C - + +++ - ++++ - + + - + - + - - + + + A cistron is defined by no complementation in the How many genes are controlling lysis in this bacteriophage? (Use a number not a word in the space) configuration.arrow_forward
- In E. coli, the gene bioD+ encodes an enzyme involved in biotin synthesis, and galK+ encodes an enzyme involved in galactose utilization. An E. coli strain that contained wild-type versions of both genes was infected with P1 phage, and then a P1 lysate was obtained. This lysate was used totransduce (infect) a strain that was bioD− and galK−. The cellswere plated on a medium containing galactose as the sole carbonsource for growth to select for transduction of the galK+ gene.This medium also was supplemented with biotin. The resultingcolonies were then restreaked on a medium that lacked biotin tosee if the bioD+ gene had been cotransduced. The following resultswere obtained:What topic in genetics does this question address?arrow_forwardIn E. coli, the gene bioD+ encodes an enzyme involved in biotin synthesis, and galK+ encodes an enzyme involved in galactose utilization. An E. coli strain that contained wild-type versions of both genes was infected with P1 phage, and then a P1 lysate was obtained. This lysate was used totransduce (infect) a strain that was bioD− and galK−. The cellswere plated on a medium containing galactose as the sole carbonsource for growth to select for transduction of the galK+ gene.This medium also was supplemented with biotin. The resultingcolonies were then restreaked on a medium that lacked biotin tosee if the bioD+ gene had been cotransduced. The following resultswere obtained:What information do you know based onthe question and your understanding of the topic?arrow_forwardBy conducting conjugation experiments between Hfr and recipientstrains, Wollman and Jacob mapped the order of many bacterialgenes. Throughout the course of their studies, they identified severaldifferent Hfr strains in which the F-factor DNA had been integratedat different places along the bacterial chromosome. A sample of theirexperimental results is shown in the following table:Explain how these results are consistent with the idea that thebacterial chromosome is circular?arrow_forward
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