AUTOGENOUS TRANSDUCTION OF 011DE IN STAPHYLOCOCCUS-AUREUS - TRANSFER AND GENETIC PROPERTIES

The staphylococcal plasmid .vphi.11de is capable of transduction in the absence of both a helper bacteriophage and detectable plaque-forming bacteriophage. The mechanism of transfer is distinct from generalized transduction in that it does not transduce chromosomal material and is selective with respect to the plasmid DNA that is transduced. The transductants containing .vphi.11de have the following characteristics: erythromycin resistance at levels displayed by the donor; expression of and susceptibility to plasmid incompatibility; dependence upon the host recombination system during transduction; complementation of .vphi.11 mutants; and reactivation of UV-irradiated phage.