A mutant of Pseudomonas aeruginosa deficient in an ATP-dependent deoxyribonuclease.

A mutant of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 originally isolated on the basis of its sensitivity to methyl methanesulphonate was found to be (i) sensitive to u.v.- and gamma-irradiation, (ii)deficient in recombination as assayed by transduction and conjugation and (iii) deficient in an ATP-dependent deoxyribonuclease activity. Its marker (mms-13) is cotransducible with argB and pyrE which are mapped at approximately 22 min on the P. aeruginosa chromosome.