No Genetic Barriers between Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium and Escherichia coli in SOS-Induced Mismatch Repair-Deficient Cells

Conjugational crosses trigger SOS induction in Escherichia coli F(−) cells mated with Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium Hfr donors. Using an epigenetic indicator of SOS induction, we showed that a strong SOS response occurring in a subpopulation of mated mismatch repair-deficient cells totally abolishes genetic barriers between these two genera.