Distance from Cohesive End Site cos Determines the Replication Requirement for Recombination in Phage λ

Previous work showed that crossing-over in the middle of the chromosome of phage lambda requires more DNA replication than does crossing-over near the termini. Relocation of cos, the sequence that determines the lambda termini, alters the requirements for replication in a given marked interval, demonstrating that distance from cos determines the amount of DNA replication that is required for genetic exchange. This result supports a break and copy mechanism for recombination mediated by the red system of phage lambda.