Hek: an Escherichia coli function involved in functional expression of the kil gene of bacteriophage Mu

An Escherichia coli mutant has been isolated (Hek) in which the kil gene of bacteriophage Mu is not functionally expressed. The hek locus has been mapped between rpoD (66.2 min) and argR (69.5 min) on the E. coli chromosome. No influence of the hek mutation on phage or E. coli development could be detected.