Comparison of two defective A prophases carried by strains of Escherichia coli, with respect to their physiological properties following induction, has revealed that one defective mutant (λ i2) can multiply normally as vegetative phage but cannot mature into normal infectious phage, whereas the other defective phage (λil) can undergo only limited multiplication since it is unstable in the vegetative state. Consideration of the properties of A 1 has led to a hypothesis that radiation induction causes the prophase to produce a vegetative replica which becomes autonomous rather than conversion of the prophase into vegetative phage.
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