Host DNA replication or excision repair requirement for ultraviolet induction of bacteriophage lambda lysogens

It is stated that the mechanism for prophage induction by radiation, or chemical agents, is not known, although a variety of hypothesis have been advanced during recent years. Biochemical data have been described that seem to favour the suggestion that DNA intermediates in the repair of DNA damage compete with prophage operators for repressor binding. When sufficient repressor is bound none remains for prophage repression and induction occurs. If this is so the prediction may be made that induction should not occur in the absence of normal repair processes. Some experimental work is described with a view to testing and verifying this prediction. A bacteriophage lambda lysogen was used in the work. Irradiation was at 420C, and samples were removed at intervals and assayed for free plaque-forming units, little induction was observed over a wide range of UV doses in non-replicating non-excising lysogens, in contradiction with some earlier results. Competition between prophage operators and repair intermediates for lambda repressor appears to be the simplest way to account for the observed results, although other possibilities are discussed. (U.K.)