Interspecies recA protein substitution in Escherichia coli and Proteus mirabilis.

With the help of recombinant plasmids carrying the recA gene of Escherichia coli or of Proteus mirabilis the ability of the recA gene products to substitute functionally for each other was studied. The recA protein of each can function in recombination, repair, induction of mutations and prophages and in regulation of its own synthesis within the foreign host nearly equally well as in the natural host. It is, therefore, suggested that recA-dependent processes act similarly in E. coli and P. mirabilis.