This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Rothman, S. W. Articles by Corwin, L. M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Rothman, S. W. Articles by Corwin, L. M.

Factors Affecting Virulence of Shigella flexneri: Strain with Relaxed Control of Ribonucleic Acid Synthesis

^a Department of Microbiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02118

ABSTRACT

An Escherichia coli-Shigella flexneri hybrid strain which produces an abortive, nonfatal experimental dysentery has inherited relaxed control of ribonucleic acid synthesis from its E. coli parent. This property, coupled with a partial methionine requirement, has been used to explain its long lag phase in vitro, relative to its Shigella parent. It was suggested that such characteristics may contribute to the hybrid's poor survival in the gut resulting in the abortive infection.

¹ Present address: Department of Biochemistry, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Mass. 02111.