Behavior of F-like plasmids in bacterial cells differing in their capacity for genetic recombination

After conjugative transfer of F-like plasmids (FB1, FB1 drd, F'-lac⁺) into cells of recipient strains ofEscherichiacoli K-12 with varied recombination capacity the sensitivity of the latter to ultraviolet radiation and the degree of stability of these plasmids during treatment of the bacteria with eliminating agents were determined. The presence of any one of the F-like plasmids studied was shown to have no effect on the sensitivity of the bacterial cells to ultraviolet radiation. On the other hand, the results of a study of spontaneous and induced elimination indicate the existence of considerable differences in the behavior of these plasmids toward eliminating factors. Stability of individual F-like plasmids in cells is presumably largely dependent on genetic differences in the recA region of the host bacteria.Department of Biology and General Genetics, Patrice Lumumba Peoples' Friendship University, Moscow. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR N. N. Zhukov-Verezhnikov.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 84, No. 8, pp. 239–241, August, 1977.