A Scientist Is Studying a Gene (Grn) Carried by a Bacteriophage

Multiple Choice

A scientist is studying a gene (grn) carried by a bacteriophage that allows a host bacterium to produce a green metabolic product before lysis. The scientist has four bacteriophage mutants for this gene. Mutant 1 has a nonrevertible mutation in grn while Mutants 2, 3, and 4 each have a revertible mutation in grn. After plating pairs of mutants and subsequent coinfection of host cells, the scientist observed the following: I. Mutants 1 and 2: no green product
II) Mutants 1 and 3: very rare green product
III) Mutants 1 and 4: rare green product
Which of the following is NOT consistent with these observations?

A) Mutant 2 has a base- pair substitution at a different site than Mutant 3.
B) A green product should be observed if coinfection occurs with mutants 3 and 4.
C) Mutant 1's deletion is closer to the base- pair substitution in Mutant 3 than it is to the base- pair substitution in Mutant 4.
D) A partial deletion in Mutant 1 overlaps a base- pair substitution in Mutant 2.
E) Mutant 3 has a base- pair substitution at a different site than Mutant 4.