An Escherichia coli Gene Required for Bacteriophage P2-K Interference

The gene old of bacteriophage P2 is known to (i) cause interference with phage A growth; (ii) kill recBmutants of Escherichia coli after P2 infection; and (iii) determine increased sensitivity of P2 lysogenic cells to X-ray irradiation. In all of these phenomena, inhibition of protein synthesis occurs. We have isolated bacterial mutants, named pin (P2 interference), able to suppress all of the abovementioned phenomena caused by the old' gene product and the concurrent protein synthesis inhibition. Pin mutations are recessive, map at 12 min on the E. coli map, and identify a new gene. Satellite bacteriophage P4 does not plate on pin-3 mutant strains and causes cell lethality and protein synthesis inhibition in such mutants. P4 mutants able to grow on pin-3 strains have been isolated.