Transcription promotes recA-independent recombination mediated by DNA-dependent RNA polymerase in Escherichia coli.

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Abstract
The Rpo-mediated recombination of phage .lambda. takes place independently of the recA function and is promoted by DNA-dependent RNA polymerase of E. coli. The crossovers were particularly frequent in the cIII-N and N-cII regions which are transcribed actively. To determine whether the transcription process required for the recombination is the initiation step or the chain elongation step, the effect of bacterial rho mutation, which affects transcription termination, on the distribution of crossover points in the .lambda. phage genome was examined. The crossovers in the cII-S interval took place more frequently in rho mutant strains than in wild-type strains. Analysis of .lambda. mRNA showed that much more O-P-Q mRNA is synthesized in the rho mutant cells than in the wild-type cells and is largely produced by the readthrough from the pR promoter. The chain elongation in transcription plays an essential role in this recombination. Physical analysis of the recombinant phage DNA showed that this recombination is of a legitimate type. Models are presented to explain how the transcription complex can promote this recA-independent recombination.

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