Generalized Transduction in Caulobacter Crescentus

Two closely related bacteriophage, varphiCr30 and varphiCr35, are the first bacteriophage shown to mediate generalized transduction in Caulobacter crescentus. Unlike most other transducing phage, they are virulent and do not form any sort of lysogenic relationship with their host. However, they are rather inefficient at adsorption, so that transductants have a good chance of survival. The phage particles have a head 80 nm in diameter and a contractile tail 140 nm in length. Procedures for growth and transduction with varphiCr30 are relatively simple; thus, it will be of great value for the genetic analysis of C. crescentus.