[Complementation and the physiological characteristics of the ts mutants of Pseudomonas aeruginosa phage SM]

Seventy three temperature-sensitive mutants of Pseudomonas aeruginosa SM phage have been obtained using different mutagens and assigned to thirteen complementation groups. Representative mutants of each group have been studied with the aim of characterizing tentatively the time of genes expression in infected bacteria. Two genes appear to function during the first minutes after infection, whereas the remaining genes are needed for late functions. Most of the temperature-sensitive functions in the different mutants are reversible, i.e. they become active when the infected cells are shifted-down to the permissive temperature.