The effects of Salmonella typhimurium on derepressed mutants of F-like factors

SUMMARY Derepressed mutants of F-like transfer factors, isolated by mutagenesis, were characterized as repressor-minus (i−) or operator-constitutive (oc). Mutants of the i− class are derepressed in K12 but repressed in Salmonella typhimurium. They are derepressed in S. typhimurium by a kanamycin resistance determinant carrying a locus der, described previously. Most oc mutants of F-like factors are derepressed in both K 12 and S. typhimurium. However, one mutant of F-lac was oc in K12 but was repressed in S. typhimurium. It was derepressed by der. Repression by S. typhimurium is different from that by fi+ factors, since der reverses the former but does not affect the latter. Possible interpretations of these findings are discussed.