Role of genetic recombination in DNA replication of bacteriophage lambda. II. Effect in DNA replication by gene delta.

We have studied the effect of delta mutations in phage lambda on DNA synthesis as assayed by the accumulation of lambda DNA in infected cells. We find that delta mutants appear to generate somewhat less DNA than lambda(+) in a rec(+) host, suggesting the wild-type delta gene may act in DNA replication. An additional clue to delta function arises if replication is measured in the gamma-negative situation where concatemer formation is abortive. In this situation, the wild-type delta gene has an "inhibitory" effect on replication. A similar inhibitory effect on replication due to delta is observed after infection of P(2) lysogens. We conclude from these studies that the delta gene may act with alpha, beta, and gamma genes, possibly in a process affecting DNA replication.