Influence of superinfection on the photoreversible phase of UV induced lysogenic bacteria.

1. Lysogenic induction by UV light can be reversed by photoreactivation. UV-treated E. coli K12 (lambda)+ uvr+ and uvr cells are sensitive to photoreactivation for a given time after irradiation. This sensitivity suddenly disappears at the end of this time. 2. The photoreversible period of UV induction is more than twice as long in uvr cells as it is in uvr+ cells. 3. The photoreversible period can be reduced by superinfection with lambda c mutants after irradiation. This effect is positively correlated with the multiplicity of superinfection. Such a reduction does not occur when superinfection is carried out with wild-type phages or with heteroimmune derivatives. 4. We concluded that during the photoreversible period of UV induction oligonucleotides are excised or synthesized and gaps are formed during excision repair and post replication repair of UV damage; these might react with E. coli recA protein thereby activating it to induce its own synthesis, to cleave phage repressors and to exert its other SOS functions.