If a single bacteriophage infects one E. coli cell present on a lawn of bacteria and, upon lysis, yields 200 viable viruses, how many phages will exist in a single plaque if three more lytic cycles occur?
Table of contents
- 1. Introduction to Genetics51m
- 2. Mendel's Laws of Inheritance3h 37m
- 3. Extensions to Mendelian Inheritance2h 41m
- 4. Genetic Mapping and Linkage2h 28m
- 5. Genetics of Bacteria and Viruses1h 21m
- 6. Chromosomal Variation1h 48m
- 7. DNA and Chromosome Structure56m
- 8. DNA Replication1h 10m
- 9. Mitosis and Meiosis1h 34m
- 10. Transcription1h 0m
- 11. Translation58m
- 12. Gene Regulation in Prokaryotes1h 19m
- 13. Gene Regulation in Eukaryotes44m
- 14. Genetic Control of Development44m
- 15. Genomes and Genomics1h 50m
- 16. Transposable Elements47m
- 17. Mutation, Repair, and Recombination1h 6m
- 18. Molecular Genetic Tools19m
- 19. Cancer Genetics29m
- 20. Quantitative Genetics1h 26m
- 21. Population Genetics50m
- 22. Evolutionary Genetics29m
5. Genetics of Bacteria and Viruses
Bacteriophage Genetics
Problem 19
Textbook Question
If further testing of the mutations in Problem 18 yielded the following results, what would you conclude about mutant 5?


1
Analyze the data provided in the table. The '-' symbol indicates that the combination of the two mutants does not restore the wild-type phenotype, meaning the mutations are in the same gene or pathway.
Understand the concept of complementation testing. Complementation occurs when two mutations in different genes restore the wild-type phenotype when combined. If no complementation occurs (indicated by '-'), the mutations are likely in the same gene.
Focus on mutant 5. Since mutant 5 does not complement mutants 2, 3, or 4 (all combinations with mutant 5 yield '-'), this suggests that mutant 5 is in the same gene as mutants 2, 3, and 4.
Conclude that mutant 5 is part of the same complementation group as mutants 2, 3, and 4. A complementation group represents a set of mutations that affect the same gene.
Summarize your findings: Mutant 5 does not complement mutants 2, 3, or 4, indicating that all these mutants are likely in the same gene and belong to the same complementation group.

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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Mutation Analysis
Mutation analysis involves studying changes in the DNA sequence that can affect an organism's phenotype. By examining the results of various mutations, researchers can determine the functional impact of specific genetic alterations. In this context, understanding how different mutations interact with each other is crucial for interpreting the results related to mutant 5.
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Genetic Interactions
Genetic interactions refer to the ways in which different genes influence each other's expression and function. This can include epistasis, where one gene's effect masks or modifies another's. The results from the mutants suggest that the interactions between mutant 5 and the other mutants (2, 3, and 4) are essential for drawing conclusions about the nature of mutant 5's phenotype.
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Phenotypic Outcomes
Phenotypic outcomes are the observable traits or characteristics of an organism resulting from the interaction of its genotype with the environment. In the context of the question, the results of the mutations provide insight into how mutant 5 behaves in relation to other mutants, which can help infer its role in the genetic pathway being studied.
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