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Abstract
SUMMARY: Experiments were performed to demonstrate the production in Escherichia coli of spontaneously occurring mutants resistant to proflavine. The fluctuation test of Luria & Delbriick (1943) suggested that such mutants arise. This was confirmed by a modification of the technique of Lederberg & Lederberg (1952). By this method of indirect selection by replica plating, two separate first- step mutants were isolated; from one of these was isolated a second-step mutant, and from this a third-step mutant. The resistance of the third-step mutant was about 100 times greater than that of the original sensitive strain. By the same technique, two first-step mutants to chloramphenicol resistance were isolated. None of the 6 mutants had come into contact with either drug until the time of testing. Crossresistance between proflavine and chloramphenicol was shown by 5 of the 6 mutants; the sixth showed an increase in proflavine resistance though not in resistance to chloramphenicol.
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