[Characteristics of bacteriophage lambda and P1 modification-restriction in Escherichia coli strains controlled by factor R124].

The specifities of restriction of bacteriophages P1 and lambda controlled by R plasmids in Escherichia coli have been investigated. The isogenic strains harbouring the plasmids pAS26 coding for restriction endonuclease R.EcoRI, R245 coding for restriction endonuclease R.EcoRII and and R124 have been investigated in the present work. Modification-restriction controlled by R124 has been found to differ in specificity from those controlled by R245 and pAS26. Frequencies of restriction of bacteriophages P1vir and lambdavir specified by R124 pasmid differ from the frequencies in the strains harbouring pAS26 and R245 plasmids as well. The difference is due to the specifity of restriction-modification controlled by R124 plasmid. The data obtained are consistent with the determination of R124 specified restriction-modification activity as a novel one designated R.EcoRIII.