[Transducing properties of lambda phagemids]

Transduction of genetic markers conferring drug-resistance with lambda phagemids has been studied in terms of the influence of various genetic conditions on the level of transduction. For this purpose, we have constructed and analysed a new series of phagemids - lambda gt::pBR322 and lambda gt::pUC19, in addition to earlier published phagemids. Experimental data indicate that the transduction frequency depends on the function of cI repressor and bacterial recA system, the plasmid orientation in the phagemid DNA, the selective marker used in an experiment and the concentration of the antibiotic in the medium.