Nitrosoguanidinc mutagenesis of the Group A streptococcal strain K56 known as a good recipient in phage-mediated transduction led to the isolation of two recombination deficient mutants showing transduction frequencies of chromosomal markers about 100-fold lower than those of the parent strain. These mutants were sensitive to ultraviolet (UV) irradiation hut had retained their ability t o reactivate UV-irradiated phage A25. They were cross-sensitive to the killing action of nitrosognanidine and ethyl methane sulfonate and showed severely inhibited DNA synthesis after UV radiation.