USE OF 8-AZAGUANINE FOR THE ISOLATION OF AUXOTROPHIC MUTANTS OF BACILLUS MEGATERIUM

Abstract
8-Azaguanine is bactericidal for Bacillus megaterium strain KM, primarily under conditions where growth is possible. This analogue has been used to enrich for auxotrophic mutants in ultraviolet-irradiated populations. The survivors were found to contain from 1.6 to 33.0% amino acid auxotrophs and from 19 to 29% pyrimidine nucleoside auxotrophs. Since many different biological systems are sensitive to 8-azaguanine, the use of this analogue to enrich for auxotrophic mutants may have a more general application than techniques currently employed.