Effect of chloramphenicol and the recB gene product on DNA metabolism in Escherichia coli K12 strains defective in DNA ligase.

We have examined DNA strand breakage, DNA degradation, and the rate of DNA synthesis in lig and lig-recB strains of Escherichia coli K12 incubated in the presence and absence of 3 mug/ml chloramphenicol. Substantial DNA strand breakage and DNA degradation is observed in the lig strain upon growth at 40 degrees C; however, such strand breakage and DNA degradation is not observed in th lig-recB strainl Incubation of the lig strain at 40 degrees C in the presence of 3 mug/ml chloramphenicol reduces the amount of DNA strand breakage and DNA degradation to the level observed in the lig-recB strain. Together, these results demonstrate that exonuclease V (the recBC gene product) is responsible for the increased DNA degradation associated with DNA ligase deficiency.