An attribute of growth behavior of eight bacteriophage mutants (1 to 8) is investigated in experiments that establish coinfection by pairs of mutants. The experiments determine whether the mutants complement one another  or fail to complement  These eight mutants are known to result from point mutation. The results of the complementation tests are shown below.

How many genes are represented by these mutations?

An attribute of growth behavior of eight bacteriophage mutants (1 to 8) is investigated in experiments that establish coinfection by pairs of mutants. The experiments determine whether the mutants complement one another  or fail to complement  These eight mutants are known to result from point mutation. The results of the complementation tests are shown below.

New mutation 10 fails to complement mutants 1, 4, 5, 6, 8, and 9. Mutant 10 forms wild-type recombinants with mutants 1, 5, and 6, but not with mutants 4 and 8. Mutant 9 and mutant 10 form wild-type recombinants. What kind of mutation is mutant 10? Explain your reasoning.

An attribute of growth behavior of eight bacteriophage mutants (1 to 8) is investigated in experiments that establish coinfection by pairs of mutants. The experiments determine whether the mutants complement one another  or fail to complement  These eight mutants are known to result from point mutation. The results of the complementation tests are shown below.

A new mutation, designated 9, fails to complement mutants 1, 3, 5, 7, and 8. Wild-type recombinants form between mutant 9 and mutations 3, 5, and 8; however, no wild-type recombinants form between mutant 9 and mutations 1 and 7. What kind of mutation is mutant 9? Explain your reasoning.

An attribute of growth behavior of eight bacteriophage mutants (1 to 8) is investigated in experiments that establish coinfection by pairs of mutants. The experiments determine whether the mutants complement one another  or fail to complement  These eight mutants are known to result from point mutation. The results of the complementation tests are shown below.

In each coinfection identified as a failure to complement (−) in the table, researchers see evidence of recombination producing wild-type growth. How do the researchers distinguish between wild-type growth resulting from complementation and wild-type growth that is due to recombination?

An attribute of growth behavior of eight bacteriophage mutants (1 to 8) is investigated in experiments that establish coinfection by pairs of mutants. The experiments determine whether the mutants complement one another  or fail to complement  These eight mutants are known to result from point mutation. The results of the complementation tests are shown below.

Identify the mutants of each gene.

Define the term genetic complementation. Describe how the term applies to an experiment in which two lysis-defective bacteriophages are able to coinfect a bacterial cell and produce lysis.