Unstable generalized transduction in Achromobacter

Six auxotrophic markers of a halotolerant collagenolytic strain of Achromobacter were transduced by four alpha hages. Abortive transduction was also demonstrated. The generalized transduction system is unusual as the transductants were unstable, characteristic of transduction by lysogeny. The Achromobacter strain is a cryptic lysogen for alpha and purified transductants were either sensitive or resistant to alpha. Purified clones from four resistant transductants and one sensitive transductant liberated phage spontaneously. The host ranges of these spontaneous phage differed from that of the alpha phage used for the transduction experiment. Some initially resistant transductants became simi-sensitive to alpha (efficiency to plating) e.o.p. (10minus-1 to 10minus-2) after repeated cloning.