Transcription promotes recA-independent recombination mediated by DNA-dependent RNA polymerase in Escherichia coli.

The Rpo-mediated recombination of phage lambda takes place independently of the recA function and is promoted by DNA-dependent RNA polymerase of Escherichia coli [Ikeda, H. & Kobayashi, I. (1977) Proc. Natl. Acad Sci. USA 74, 3932--3936]. The crossovers were particularly frequent to the cIII-N and N-cII regions which are transcribed actively. To determine whether the transcription process required for the recombination is the initiation step or the chain elongation step, we have examined the effect of bacterial rho mutation, which affects transcription termination, on the distribution of crossover points in the lambda phage genome. The crossovers in the cII-S interval took place more frequently in rho mutant strains than in wild-type strains. Analysis of lambda mRNA showed that much more O-P-Q mRNA is synthesized in the rho mutant cells than in the wild-type cells and is largely produced by the readthrough from the PR promotor. These results strongly suggest that the chain elongation in transcription plays an essential role in this recombination. Physical analysis of the recombinant phage DNA showed that this recombination is a legitimate type. Models are presented to explain how the transcription complex can promote this recA-independent recombination.