Involvement of DNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase in a recA-Independent Pathway of Genetic Recombination in Escherichia coli

Recombinant DNA molecule of phage lambda formed in Escherichia coli in the presence of chloramphenicol and/or rifampin can be assayed by their biological activity. recA- cells were found to be capable of forming recombinant lambda phage DNA in the presence of chloramphenicol. The relatively high recA-independent recombination observed in this system contrasts with the relatively low recA-independent recombination when recombinant phage particles rather than recombinant DNA are titrated. Formation of the recombinant DNA was suppressed by the the addition of rifampin. The introduction of the rif-r mutation into host bacteria made their recombination activity rifampin-resistant. These results show that DNA-dependent RNA polymerase (EC 2.7.7.6) is involved in this recA-independent pathway of recombination, which is named the "Rpo pathway." This is distinct from Red, Int, RecBC, RecE, or Der pathways of recombination. Crossover was much more frequent in the N-PL-cI and cI-PR-O regions than in the A-D and O-S regions. The crossover seems to occur in the regions that are transcribed actively. Some local change of DNA structure caused by transcription might be required for the Rpo pathway of recombination.