Physical and genetic localization of ilv regulatory sites in lambda ilv bacteriophages.

A set of nine lambda dilv phages were used to transduce bacterial recipients containing point mutations or deletions in the ilv genes located at 84 min on the Escherichia coli K-12 chromosome. This genetic analysis indicated that two phages carry the entire ilvGEDAC cluster; others carry the complete ilvC gene and, in addition, bacterial DNA that extends to a termination point between ilvA and ilvC, within ilvD, within ilvE, or within ilvG. DNA extracted from the lambda dilv phages was digested with EcoRI, HindIII, KpnI, PstI, SalI, and SmaI. The restriction maps revealed that these phages were generated after insertion at four distinct insertion sites downstream (clockwise) of ilvC. The physical relationships between the various phages were further examined by electron microscopic heteroduplex analysis. The physical maps of the phages thus generated were straightforward and in complete accord with the genetic data. No evidence for genetic rearrangements of ilv DNA in the phage was obtained, thus validating conclusions based on the use of these phages in previous and ongoing research projects. Bacterial cells with deletions of the ilv genes were made lysogenic with lambda dilv phage to examine the regulation of ilv genes present in the phage. The results confirm previous studies showing that one site for control by repression and derepression is upstream (counterclockwise) of ilvG. It was shown, in addition, that the activities of dihydroxy acid dehydrase and threonine deaminase were increased when the prototrophic lysogens were grown with 20 mM leucine. Since this increase was exhibited even when the ilvG-linked control region was not carried by the lambda dilv phage, additional control sites must be located within the ilvEDA region of the ilvGEDA transcription unit.