Evolution and differentiation in hybrid bacteriophages

Prophage elements named G agents result from undetermined recombination events following superinfection of a terminal deletion lysogen of Φ80 with Φγ. They confer to escherichia coli lysogens a series of abnormalities: high spontaneous production of particles, cell elongation, etc. Further analysis of bacteriophages qualified as G agents has revealed that they carry genetic information for distinct phages, segregate types having various combinations of the parental characters and may confer the two parental specificities of immunity. Abnormal behaviour in lysogeny is interpreted as resulting from an alteration in regulatory circuits with switching of viral functions.SCOPUS: NotDefined.j