Male-specific bacteriophage MS2 propagation in fluorophenylalanine-resistant Escherichia coli K12.

Mutation of Escherichia coli K12 HfrH to resistance to fluorophenylalanine resulted in changes in the plaque morphology of bacteriophage MS2 on this strain and led to an increased efficiency of propagation of the phage in liquid cultures. Evidence was obtained that the mutation resulted in inhibition of early lysis in infected cells and that lysis involved the production of a lysozyme. Genetic studies suggested that the observed pleiotropy of the resistance mutation was due to informational suppression.