Why did Benzer choose the rII locus?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking about the reason George Benzer chose the rII locus in bacteriophage T4 for his groundbreaking genetic research. This involves understanding the advantages this particular genetic region offered for studying mutation, recombination, and gene structure.
Answer
Benzer chose the rII locus because it allowed him to detect rare genetic recombination events and map a large number of mutations.
Seymour Benzer chose the rII locus of the T4 bacteriophage because it allowed him to detect rare genetic recombination events. The rII system also enabled him to map a large number of mutations, providing a detailed understanding of gene structure.
Answer for screen readers
Seymour Benzer chose the rII locus of the T4 bacteriophage because it allowed him to detect rare genetic recombination events. The rII system also enabled him to map a large number of mutations, providing a detailed understanding of gene structure.
More Information
The rII locus in the T4 bacteriophage contains two genes, rIIA and rIIB. Mutations in either of these genes can prevent the bacteriophage from replicating in certain strains of E. coli.
Sources
- 8.8: rII Locus of T4 - Biology LibreTexts - bio.libretexts.org
- A Tribute to Seymour Benzer, 1921–2007 - PMC - PubMed Central - pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- T4 rII system - Wikipedia - en.wikipedia.org
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