DNA polymerase as a requirement for the maintenance of the bacterial plasmid colicinogenic factor E 1

Abstract

The extrachromosomal elements Col V, Col I, F′14, R1 , and R64 can be transferred by conjugation into and maintained in Escherichia coli cells carrying the pol A1 mutation. The Col E 2 factor can be transferred into pol A1 cells but is poorly maintained. The Col E 2 cells show a segregation to Col − at a rate of about 50% per generation. The Col E 1 factor cannot be transferred into pol A1 cells and is lost when the pol A1 mutation is tranduced into Col E 1 containing cells. Evidence is provided that DNA polymerase is essential to the maintenance of the Col E 1 factor.