1887

Abstract

A new type of mating, differing from classic conjugation and previously observed in a certain strain of K-12, has also been found in strains derived from ordinary F cells of K-12 exposed to an exogenous factor originating in an clinical isolate. Immunofluorescence and electron microscopy after single and double labelling of DNA were used to produce evidence in favour of a novel mating mechanism by cell contact at the poles of the bacterial rod. These findings are supported by genetic analyses indicating complete genetic mixing. Unstable complementing diploids were formed, which throw off phenotypically haploid cells, of which some showed a parental phenotype and some were true genetic recombinants. Recombination was observed even when one parent was a UV-inactivated F RecA strain. The name ‘spontaneous zygogenesis' (Z-mating, for short) is proposed for this kind of mating.

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2003-09-01
2024-10-08
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