Mapping of new Escherichia coli K and 15 restriction sites on specific fragments of bacteriophage phi X174.

We have isolated several new phiX174 mutants which contain sites sensitive to restriction by Escherichia coli. One contains an E. coli 15 restriction site and three are double mutants containing an E. coli K site as well as the E. coli 15 site. The replicative form (RF) DNA of one of the mutants containing a K site has been shown to be restricted in spheroplasts of a K-12 strain. The infectivity of this RF, but not wild-type RF, has also been shown to be inactivated by an E. coli K extract and by purified K restriction enzyme in vitro. The product of the RF treated with purified K restriction enzyme in vitro is a full length linear molecule. The mutant sites have also been localized to specific regions of the phiX174 genome by a fragment mapping technique, making use of specific fragments of phiX174 RF DNA obtained by digestion with a specific endonuclease.