Characteristics of E. coli K12 strains carrying both an F prime and an R factor

The interrelationship between an F prime and an F-like or I-like R factor was studied in Escherichia coli K 12 strains carrying both. The donorability of such strains suggested that these plasmids were transferred independently by their own transfer systems. Plaque formation by several male- and female-specific phage was tested; the inhibition by Flac of several female-specific phage was not affected by an F-like R factor. Neither did an R factor affect the incompatibility between Flac and Fhis. However, the surface exclusion characteristic of Flac was lost in the presence of an F-like R factor. This is probably closely related to the simultaneous loss of donorability, the F-pilus, and the f+ antigen: all may be the result of the inhibition by an R product of the formation or activity of a single F product

Spreading Width for Decay out of a Superdeformed Band

The attenuation factor F responsible for the decay out of a superdeformed (SD) band is calculated with the help of a statistical model. This factor is given by 1/F = (1 + Gamma(down) / Gamma(S)). Here, Gamma(S) is the width for the collective E2 transition within the superdeformed band, and Gamma(down) is the spreading width which describes the mixing between a state in the SD band and the normally deformed (ND) states of equal spin. The attenuation factor F is independent of the statistical E1 decay widths Gamma(N) of the ND states provided that the Gamma(N) are much larger than both Gamma(down) and Gamma(S). This condition is generically met. Previously measured values of F are used to determine Gamma(down).Comment: Submitted to Physical Review Letter