[Isolation of Escherichia coli K12 mutants with deficient in precise excision of transposons]

Plasmid pNM1, the derivative of R100.1, has been constructed by insertion of transposon Tn5 into structural tet genet (Tn10) of the parental plasmid. The frequency of precise excision of Tn5 from plasmidic genome is 10(-5). The high frequency of precise excision obtained in this system permits one, to use it for isolation of mutants having low frequencies of precise excision. Two mutants were isolated in which the frequencies of precise excision of Tn5 were decreased for two orders. The pex1 and pex2 mutations responsible for the effect decrease the precise excision of Tn5 from R100.1 as well as from RP4 genomes.