Extent of host deletions associated with bacteriophage P2-mediated eduction.

A series of independent Escherichia coli K eductants has been isolated and tested to determine the extent of their deletions. The deletions cover the P2 prophage in location H, the his operon, a suppressor of the recBC phenotype (sbcB), the gene for gluconate-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (gnd), a locus involved in cell wall synthesis (rfb), and in some cases all or part of genes involved in methylgalactoside uptake (mglP). One end of the deletion, the P2 prophage end, appears to be the same for all eductants. The other end, however, can be located before, within, and after the mglP locus.