Generalized transduction in the enterobacterial phytopathogen Erwinia chrysanthemi

Bacteriophages induced by mitomycin treatment of Erwinia chrysanthemi KS612 produced plaques on lawns of E. chrysanthemi EC183 and KS605. Bacteriophage Erch-12, purified from one such plaque, transferred an array of chromosomal genes (arg, leu, his, ser, thr, trp, ura) to appropriate recipient strains derived from E. chrysanthemi EC 183. Recombinants were formed in the absence of cellular contact between donor and recipient bacteria and in the presence of deoxyribonuclease. Ultraviolet irradiation of the bacteriophage stimulated transductional frequency. Linkage was detected in two-factor crosses between the loci thr and ser and between rif and ade; several closely linked mutations in ser were mapped with respect to thr.