Strongly Reduced Phage Qβ Replication, but Normal Phage MS2 Replication in anEscherichia coliK12 Mutant with Inactivated Qβ Host Factor (hfq) Gene

RNA phage production was observed in Escherichia coli hfq mutant strains transformed with plasmids containing genomic cDNA of phages Q beta or MS2. Q beta production was reduced 5000-fold in an insertional mutant containing an omega cassette in the middle of hfq, but was unaffected in a mutant with the cassette near the end of hfq. The insertions bad no effect on MS2 replication. (C) 1997 Academic Press