Fis is required for illegitimate recombination during formation of lambda bio transducing phage

Specialized transducing particles of phage lambda are formed by illegitimate recombination during prophage induction. We examined the effects of an Esherichia coli int, xis, himA, himD, or fis mutation on illegitimate recombination during formation of lambda Spi- phage, a class of lambda bio transducing phage. This type of phage is distinguishable from the docL and docR particles, which contain one cohesive end and are formed by cutting of the cos site, by plaque formation of lambda bio on Escherichia coli P2 lysogens. The yields of lambda Spi- phage in the int, xis, int-xis deletion, and b2 deletion mutants were about 50- to 200-fold higher than that of the wild-type prophage when bacteria were irradiated with UV light. This result indicates that Int and Xis functions, and the att site, are not required for illegitimate recombination. The yield of lambda Spi- phage in the himA, himD, or fis mutant carrying lambda delta int-xis prophage was 2.6-, 3.3-, or 17-fold lower, respectively, than that in the wild-type bacteria under UV irradiation. Analysis of the nucleotide sequences of the junctions of the transducing phages indicates that recombination at the hotspots, as well as at non-hotspots, takes place between short homologous sequences. Because the growth of infecting phages was not suppressed by the himA, himD, or fis mutation, we conclude that Fis is required, but IHF is only partially required, for short-homology-dependent illegitimate recombination during the formation of lambda bio transducing phage.