Generalized recombination: nucleotide sequence homology between Chi recombinational hotspots

Chi sites stimulate generalized recombination catalyzed by the RecA-RecBC-dependent system of E. coli. This stimulation occurs over a region of several thousand base pairs surrounding the Chi site. These sites arise by mutation at four distinct loci in bacteriophage lambda. We report here the nucleotide sequence surrounding one of these loci, chi B, located between the xis and reda genes. Alteration of a single GC base pair, by deletion or by transversion to a CG base pair, creates the Chi recombinational hotspot chi + B. In a section of 30 bp, the chi + B sequence has 23 bp in common with the chi + C sequence determined previously. We presume that some part of this common sequence is the recognition sequence for a protein which acts at a rate-limiting step of generalized recombination.