Genetic analysis of the phi C31-specific phage growth limitation (Pgl) system of Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2)

The phage growth limitation (Pgl) system of Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) was shown to be specific to phi C31 homo-immune phages, and to be absent from the closely related strain Streptomyces lividans. A 16 kb fragment of S. coelicolor A3(2) DNA was isolated which complemented the Pgl- phenotype of J1501, a pgl mutant derivative of the Pglts S. coelicolor strain M130. The cloned DNA complemented only half of the available pgl mutants, which therefore represented at least two groups, designated Pgl class A and class B strains. It follows that more than one kind of high-frequency genetic event can lead to the Pgl- phenotype. Crosses between class A and class B strains yielded high frequencies of Pgl+ recombinants. Crosses between strains of the same class gave no Pgl+ recombinants. The cloned DNA was altered by deletion or apparent point mutation upon passage through the two class B strains tested, such that it was no longer capable of complementing class A strains. This accumulation of mutations might suggest that the expression of the cloned DNA is toxic to at least some class B strains. The nature of the genetic instability associated with the Pgl system was not detectable by Southern blot analysis.