CLONING AND COMPLEMENTATION ANALYSIS OF ESCHERICHIA-COLI GPR LOCUS AFFECTING DNA-REPLICATION OF SOME LAMBDOID PHAGES

Escherichia coli DNA fragments which suppressed gpr27 and gpr2 mutations in the earlier proposed gprA and gprB genes, respectively, were cloned within phage vectors. Mutations gpr2 and gpr27 restrict DNA replication of some lambdoid phages and are located in the region of dnaK, J genes. DNA-DNA hybridization showed that the cloned fragments correspond to the region where gpr mutations were genetically mapped and, in some cases, do not include dnaK, J genes. These results provide the evidence that gprA and gprB genes may be physically separated from dnaK, J genes.