The role of DNA polymerase I in genetic recombination and viability of Escherichia coli.

The rate of formation of high-molecular-weight daughter DNA in the conditionally lethal double mutant polA12 uvrE502, incubated at nonpermissive temperature, was slower than that in the single polA12 mutant. There exist at least two pathways determining viability of Escherichia coli cells: one of them is dependent on polA+ and recB+ genes, while another is polA+ and recB+ genes, while another is polA recB independent but requires the uvrE+ gene and can be blocked by exonuclease I. The RecF but not the RecBC pathway of genetic recombination was found to be absolutely dependent on the polymerizing activity of DNA polymerase I. The involvement of DNA polymerase I in genetic recombination in the recB- C- sbsB strain and viability in the uvrE- or recB- strains suggest the existence of the common steps required for the accomplishing of the RecF pathway of recombination and for viability of E. coli.