A new ribosomal protein locus in Escherichia coli: the gene for protein S6 maps at 97 min.

A mutant of E. coli selected for temperature-sensitive growth on rich medium harbored an altered ribosomal protein S6 (Isono et al., 1976). This mutant was found to possess at least two mutations, one being responsible for the temperature-sensitivity and the other for the S6 alteration. Crosses with various Hfr strains as well as transductions with P 1kc revealed that the former mutation mapped at 98 min and the latter at 97 min. Furthermore, rec A derivatives of this mutant heteromerodiploid for this region possessed both the wild type and themutant forms of S6. Thus it was established that the gene at 97 min was indeed the structural gene for protein S6 (rpsF) and not a gene modifying it.