Early Stages of Conjugation in Escherichia Coli ROY CURTISS, III, LUCIEN G
JOURNAL OF BACTERIOLOGY, Nov. 1969, p. 1091-1104 Vol. 100, No. 2 Copyright 0 1969 American Society for Microbiology Printed in U.S.A. Early Stages of Conjugation in Escherichia coli ROY CURTISS, III, LUCIEN G. CARO, DAVID P. ALLISON, AND DONALD R. STALLIONS Biology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830 Received for publication 8 September 1969 We initiated these studies to learn more about the initial events during bacterial conjugation and to optimize conditions for their occurrence. We found that cells in donor cultures grown anaerobically prior to mating have (i) a higher mean number of F pili per cell, (ii) longer F pili, (iii) a higher probability of forming specific pairs with F- cells, and (iv) a faster rate of initiation of chromosome transfer than cells grown aerobically. The growth medium for the donor culture also influences these same parameters: a rich medium is superior to a completely synthetic medium. Starvation of donor cells in buffered saline or for a required amino acid results in (i) a loss of F pili, (ii) a loss in the ability of donor-specific phages to adsorb, (iii) a loss of ability to form specific pairs with F- cells and to yield recombinants, and (iv) an increase in recipient ability. These changes occur as a function of starvation time, and at rates which are dependent on the conditions of prior growth and starvation of the donor culture. Either treatment provides a rapid method for the production of F- phenocopies from donor cultures. Resynthesis ofF pili by cells within a starved donor culture commences very soon after restoration of normal growth conditions, but full restoration of donor ability, as measured by recombinant yield, occurs at a slower rate.
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