Null mutation of the dam or seqA gene suppresses temperature-sensitive lethality but not hypersensitivity to novobiocin of muk null mutants

Escherichia coli mukF, mukE, and mukB null mutants have common phenotypes s uch as temperature-dependent colony formation, anucleate cell production, c hromosome cutting by septum closure, and abnormal localization of SeqA-DNA clusters. We show here that the associated muk null mutations cause hyperse nsitivity to novobiocin. Null mutation of either dam or seqA suppressed par tially the temperature-sensitive lethality but failed to suppress the anucl eate cell production and the hypersensitivity to novobiocin caused by muk n ull mutations.