Inversion in the lactose region of Escherichia coli K-12: inversion termini map within IS3 elements alpha 3 beta 3 and beta 5 alpha 5

In this work, the previously described inversion in the lactose region of the Escherichia coli K-12 chromosome (D. J. Savić, J. Bacteriol. 140:311-319, 1979) is analyzed in greater detail. The results presented indicate that the inversion most likely occurred by a homologous recombination between alpha 3 beta 3 and beta 5 alpha 5 IS3 elements.