Chromosome mapping in Staphylococcus aureus.

The genome of Staphylococcus aureus was mapped by enumerating mutants induced by nitrosoguanidine during synchronous chromosomal replication following release from phenethanol inhibition. Both chromosomal replication time and cell division time were 120 min for this strain of S. aureus. Duplication of genes occurred within a 10-min period of the 120 min required for chromosomal replication. A high-resolution method was devised to determine the gene order of four genes that duplicated in the same 10-min interval of replication of the chromosome. A genomic map locating the positions of 10 genes was derived.