Bacillus subtilis phage phi29. Characterization of gene products and functions

Flexible structural arrangement and DNA-binding properties of protein p6 from Bacillus subtillis phage φ29

The genome-organizing protein p6 of Bacillus subtilis bacteriophage φ29 plays an essential role in viral development by activating the initiation of DNA replication and participating in the early-to-late transcriptional switch. These activities require the formation of a nucleoprotein complex in which the DNA adopts a right-handed superhelix wrapping around a multimeric p6 scaffold, restraining positive supercoiling and compacting the viral genome. Due to the absence of homologous structures, prior attempts to unveil p6's structural architecture failed. Here, we employed AlphaFold2 to engineer rational p6 constructs yielding crystals for three-dimensional structure determination. Our findings reveal a novel fold adopted by p6 that sheds light on its self-association mechanism and its interaction with DNA. By means of protein-DNA docking and molecular dynamic simulations, we have generated a comprehensive structural model for the nucleoprotein complex that consistently aligns with its established biochemical and thermodynamic parameters. Besides, through analytical ultracentrifugation, we have confirmed the hydrodynamic properties of the nucleocomplex, further validating in solution our proposed model. Importantly, the disclosed structure not only provides a highly accurate explanation for previously experimental data accumulated over decades, but also enhances our holistic understanding of the structural and functional attributes of protein p6 during φ29 infection.

Cryo-EM Structures of Two Bacteriophage Portal Proteins Provide Insights for Antimicrobial Phage Engineering

Widespread antibiotic resistance has returned attention to bacteriophages as a means of managing bacterial pathogenesis. Synthetic biology approaches to engineer phages have demonstrated genomic editing to broaden natural host ranges, or to optimise microbicidal action. Gram positive pathogens cause serious pastoral animal and human infections that are especially lethal in newborns. Such pathogens are targeted by the obligate lytic phages of the Salasmaviridae and Guelinviridae families. These phages have relatively small ~20 kb linear protein-capped genomes and their compact organisation, relatively few structural elements, and broad host range, are appealing from a phage-engineering standpoint. In this study, we focus on portal proteins, which are core elements for the assembly of such tailed phages. The structures of dodecameric portal complexes from Salasmaviridae phage GA1, which targets Bacillus pumilus, and Guelinviridae phage phiCPV4 that infects Clostridium perfringens, were determined at resolutions of 3.3 Å and 2.9 Å, respectively. Both are found to closely resemble the related phi29 portal protein fold. However, the portal protein of phiCPV4 exhibits interesting differences in the clip domain. These structures provide new insights on structural diversity in Caudovirales portal proteins and will be essential for considerations in phage structural engineering.

Chances and limitations when uncovering essential and non-essential genes of Bacillus subtilis phages with CRISPR-Cas9

Virulent bacterial viruses, also known as phages or bacteriophages, are considered as a potential option to fight antibiotic-resistant bacteria. However, their biology is still poorly understood, and only a fraction of phage genes is assigned with a function. To enable the first classification, we explored new options to test phage genes for their requirement on viral replication. As a model, we used the smallest known Bacillus subtilis phage Goe1, and the Cas9-based mutagenesis vector pRH030 as a genetic tool. All phage genes were specifically disrupted, and individual survival rates and mutant genotypes were investigated. Surviving phages relied on the genome integrity through host intrinsic non-homologues end joining system or a natural alteration of the Cas9 target sequence. Quantification of phage survivors and verifying the underlying genetic situation enables the classification of genes in essential or non-essential sets for viral replication. We also observed structural genes to hold more natural mutations than genes of the genome replication machinery.

DNA-Binding Proteins Essential for Protein-Primed Bacteriophage Φ29 DNA Replication

Bacillus subtilis phage Φ29 has a linear, double-stranded DNA 19 kb long with an inverted terminal repeat of 6 nucleotides and a protein covalently linked to the 5′ ends of the DNA. This protein, called terminal protein (TP), is the primer for the initiation of replication, a reaction catalyzed by the viral DNA polymerase at the two DNA ends. The DNA polymerase further elongates the nascent DNA chain in a processive manner, coupling strand displacement with elongation. The viral protein p5 is a single-stranded DNA binding protein (SSB) that binds to the single strands generated by strand displacement during the elongation process. Viral protein p6 is a double-stranded DNA binding protein (DBP) that preferentially binds to the origins of replication at the Φ29 DNA ends and is required for the initiation of replication. Both SSB and DBP are essential for Φ29 DNA amplification. This review focuses on the role of these phage DNA-binding proteins in Φ29 DNA replication both in vitro and in vivo, as well as on the implication of several B. subtilis DNA-binding proteins in different processes of the viral cycle. We will revise the enzymatic activities of the Φ29 DNA polymerase: TP-deoxynucleotidylation, processive DNA polymerization coupled to strand displacement, 3′–5′ exonucleolysis and pyrophosphorolysis. The resolution of the Φ29 DNA polymerase structure has shed light on the translocation mechanism and the determinants responsible for processivity and strand displacement. These two properties have made Φ29 DNA polymerase one of the main enzymes used in the current DNA amplification technologies. The determination of the structure of Φ29 TP revealed the existence of three domains: the priming domain, where the primer residue Ser232, as well as Phe230, involved in the determination of the initiating nucleotide, are located, the intermediate domain, involved in DNA polymerase binding, and the N-terminal domain, responsible for DNA binding and localization of the TP at the bacterial nucleoid, where viral DNA replication takes place. The biochemical properties of the Φ29 DBP and SSB and their function in the initiation and elongation of Φ29 DNA replication, respectively, will be described.

Dissecting the role of the ϕ29 terminal protein DNA binding residues in viral DNA replication

Phage ϕ29 DNA replication takes place by a protein-priming mechanism in which the viral DNA polymerase catalyses the covalent linkage of the initiating nucleotide to a specific serine residue of the terminal protein (TP). The N-terminal domain of the ϕ29 TP has been shown to bind to the host DNA in a sequence-independent manner and this binding is essential for the TP nucleoid localisation and for an efficient viral DNA replication in vivo. In the present work we have studied the involvement of the TP N-terminal domain residues responsible for DNA binding in the different stages of viral DNA replication by assaying the in vitro activity of purified TP N-terminal mutant proteins. The results show that mutation of TP residues involved in DNA binding affects the catalytic activity of the DNA polymerase in initiation, as the K_m for the initiating nucleotide is increased when these mutant proteins are used as primers. Importantly, this initiation defect was relieved by using the ϕ29 double-stranded DNA binding protein p6 in the reaction, which decreased the K_m of the DNA polymerase for dATP about 130–190 fold. Furthermore, the TP N-terminal domain was shown to be required both for a proper interaction with the DNA polymerase and for an efficient viral DNA amplification.

Functional linkages between replication proteins of genes 1, 3 and 5 of Bacillus subtilis phage φ29

Gene 1 product (gp1) of Bacillus subtilis phage φ29 has been shown to be involved in viral DNA replication in vivo, but the essential role is still unknown. As part of an ongoing effort to understand the role of gp1 in viral DNA replication, we investigated genetic interaction between gene 1 and other viral genes. Because φ29 mutants which do not produce functional gp1 show temperature-sensitive growth, we isolated temperature-resistant phages from the φ29 gene 1 mutants, and eventually, obtained nine extragenic suppressors. These suppressor mutations were located in two essential genes for φ29 DNA replication in vivo: gene 3 encoding terminal/primer protein (gp3) or gene 5 encoding viral single-stranded DNA binding protein (gp5). Most of these mutations resulted in single amino acid substitutions in the products. By trans-complementation assay, we confirmed that the absence of gp1 at non-permissive temperature can be compensated by the suppressors which have the single amino acid substitution in either gp5 or gp3. These results indicate that gp1 has functional relationship to gp5 and gp3. From the positions of amino acid substitutions in gp3, we propose its new regulatory subdomain at which other molecules including gp1 would interact with and regulate functions of gp3.

Role of host factors in bacteriophage φ29 DNA replication

During the course of evolution, viruses have learned to take advantage of the natural resources of their hosts for their own benefit. Due to their small dimension and limited size of genomes, bacteriophages have optimized the exploitation of bacterial host factors to increase the efficiency of DNA replication and hence to produce vast progeny. The Bacillus subtilis phage φ29 genome consists of a linear double-stranded DNA molecule that is duplicated by means of a protein-primed mode of DNA replication. Its genome has been shown to be topologically constrained at the size of the bacterial nucleoid and, as to avoid generation of positive supercoiling ahead of the replication forks, the bacterial DNA gyrase is used by the phage. In addition, the B. subtilis actin-like MreB cytoskeleton plays a crucial role in the organization of φ29 DNA replication machinery in peripheral helix-like structures. Thus, in the absence of an intact MreB cytoskeleton, φ29 DNA replication is severely impaired. Importantly, MreB interacts directly with the phage membrane protein p16.7, responsible for attaching φ29 DNA at the cell membrane. Moreover, the φ29-encoded protein p56 inhibits host uracil-DNA glycosylase activity and has been proposed to be a defense mechanism developed by the phage to prevent the action of the base excision repair pathway if uracil residues arise in replicative intermediates. All of them constitute incoming examples on how viruses have profited from the cellular machinery of their hosts.

Single-stranded DNA binding protein Gp5 of Bacillus subtilis phage Φ29 is required for viral DNA replication in growth-temperature dependent fashion

In the absence of viral single-stranded DNA binding protein gp5, Bacillus subtilis phage φ29 failed to grow and to replicate its genome at 45 °C, while it grew and replicated normally at 30 °C and 42 °C. This indicates that gp5 is dispensable for φ29 DNA replication at 42 °C and lower temperatures.

Disclosing the in vivo organization of a viral histone-like protein in Bacillus subtilis mediated by its capacity to recognize the viral genome

Organization of replicating prokaryotic genomes requires architectural elements that, similarly to eukaryotic systems, induce topological changes such as DNA supercoiling. Bacteriophage 29 protein p6 has been described as a histone-like protein that compacts the viral genome by forming a nucleoprotein complex and plays a key role in the initiation of protein-primed DNA replication. In this work, we analyze the subcellular localization of protein p6 by immunofluorescence microscopy and show that, at early infection stages, it localizes in a peripheral helix-like configuration. Later, at middle infection stages, protein p6 is recruited to the bacterial nucleoid. This migrating process is shown to depend on the synthesis of components of the 29 DNA replication machinery (i.e., terminal protein and DNA polymerase) needed for the replication of viral DNA, which is required to recruit the bulk of protein p6. Importantly, the double-stranded DNA-binding capacity of protein p6 is essential for its relocalization at the nucleoid. Altogether, the results disclose the in vivo organization of a viral histone-like protein in bacteria.

DNA bending and looping in the transcriptional control of bacteriophage phi29

Recent studies on the regulation of phage phi29 gene expression reveal new ways to accomplish the processes required for the orderly gene expression in prokaryotic systems. These studies revealed a novel DNA-binding domain in the phage main transcriptional regulator and the nature and dynamics of the multimeric DNA-protein complex responsible for the switch from early to late gene expression. This review describes the features of the regulatory mechanism that leads to the simultaneous activation and repression of transcription, and discusses it in the context of the role of the topological modification of the DNA carried out by two phage-encoded proteins working synergistically with the DNA.

Construction of bacteriophage phi29 DNA packaging motor and its applications in nanotechnology and therapy

Nanobiotechnology involves the creation, characterization, and modification of organized nanomaterials to serve as building blocks for constructing nanoscale devices in technology and medicine. Living systems contain a wide variety of nanomachines and highly ordered structures of macromolecules. The novelty and ingenious design of the bacterial virus phi29 DNA packaging motor and its parts inspired the synthesis of this motor and its components as biomimetics. This 30-nm nanomotor uses six copies of an ATP-binding pRNA to gear the motor. The structural versatility of pRNA has been utilized to construct dimers, trimers, hexamers, and patterned superstructures via the interaction of two interlocking loops. The approach, based on bottom-up assembly, has also been applied to nanomachine fabrication, pathogen detection and the delivery of drugs, siRNA, ribozymes, and genes to specific cells in vitro and in vivo. Another essential component of the motor is the connector, which contains 12 copies of a protein gp10 to form a 3.6-nm central channel as a path for DNA. This article will review current studies of the structure and function of the phi29 DNA packaging motor, as well as the mechanism of motion, the principle of in vitro construction, and its potential nanotechnological and medical applications.

Analytical ultracentrifugation studies of phage phi29 protein p6 binding to DNA

Protein p6 from Bacillus subtilis phage phi29 binds double-stranded DNA, forming a large nucleoprotein complex all along the viral genome, and has been proposed to be an architectural protein with a global role in genome organization. Here, we have characterized quantitatively the DNA binding properties of protein p6 by means of sedimentation velocity and sedimentation equilibrium experiments permitting determination of the strength and stoichiometry of complex formation. The composition dependence of protein binding to DNA is quantitatively consistent with a model in which the protein undergoes a reversible monomer-dimer self-association, and the dimeric species binds noncooperatively to the DNA. We also have found that when the anisotropic bendability periodicity of the nucleotide sequence preferred by p6 is modified, nucleocomplex formation is impaired. In addition, suppression of complex formation at high ionic strength is reversed by the addition of high concentrations of an inert polymer, mimicking the crowded intracellular environment. The results obtained in this work illustrate how macromolecular crowding could act as a metabolic buffer that can significantly extend the range of intracellular conditions under which a specific reaction may occur.

Structural organization of Bacillus subtilis phage phi29. A model

Phage phi29 is a nonisometric virus producing several types of morphological variants in normal infections. The study of these variants by electron microscopy, and their comparison with those from T-even phages, suggest that the capsid of phage phi29 is a prolate icosahedron. Phage phi29 capsid consists of a major protein, p8, and an additional protein, p8.5, making up the fibers. We have determined the number of subunits of each structural protein per viral particle taking into account the phage molecular weight (between 28 and 29.6 x 10(6)), the molecular weight of each structural protein, and the mass percentage of each protein with respect to the total protein mass of the phage. These values, together with the results obtained from chemical crosslinking of the structural proteins on the phage, suggest that the capsid contains protein p8 dimers clustered in trimers.

The orderly, in vitro emergence of DNA from bacteriophage phi29 particles

phi29 DNA-containing 12-13- particles (produced by infecting nonsuppressor hosts of Bacillus subtilis with phage containing suppressible mutations in cistrons 12 and 13) can be complemented with lysates containing proteins p12* and p13 to yield infectious phage. Complementation of these particles with lysates containing p12* but not p13 or complementation with purified p12* in the absence of p13 produces a structure (called complex) which has a markedly different organization. Electron microscopy and sedimentation analysis after digestion with DNase I or proteinase K indicate that complex is composed of an intact phage head with a genome-sized linear DNA molecule attached at the collar-tail region. EcoRI digestion establishes that the DNA molecule has a unique orientation. Gel electrophoresis indicates that p12*, the neck appendage protein, is transferred to the particles when complex is formed. Complex can also be produced by incubation of 12-13- particles at 42 degrees , by incubation at pH 6.0, or by incubation in the presence of 20 mM EDTA. Complex is also formed from DNA-containing 12- particles but to a lesser extent.

In vivo DNA binding of bacteriophage GA-1 protein p6

Bacteriophage GA-1 infects Bacillus sp. strain G1R and has a linear double-stranded DNA genome with a terminal protein covalently linked to its 5' ends. GA-1 protein p6 is very abundant in infected cells and binds DNA with no sequence specificity. We show here that it binds in vivo to the whole viral genome, as detected by cross-linking, chromatin immunoprecipitation, and real-time PCR analyses, and has the characteristics of a histone-like protein. Binding to DNA of GA-1 protein p6 shows little supercoiling dependency, in contrast to the ortholog protein of the evolutionary related Bacillus subtilis phage phi29. This feature is a property of the protein rather than the DNA or the cellular background, since phi29 protein p6 shows supercoiling-dependent binding to GA-1 DNA in Bacillus sp. strain G1R. GA-1 DNA replication is impaired in the presence of the gyrase inhibitors novobiocin and nalidixic acid, which indicates that, although noncovalently closed, the viral genome is topologically constrained in vivo. GA-1 protein p6 is also able to bind phi29 DNA in B. subtilis cells; however, as expected, the binding is less supercoiling dependent than the one observed with the phi29 protein p6. In addition, the nucleoprotein complex formed is not functional, since it is not able to transcomplement the DNA replication deficiency of a phi29 sus6 mutant. Furthermore, we took advantage of phi29 protein p6 binding to GA-1 DNA to find that the viral DNA ejection mechanism seems to take place, as in the case of phi29, with a right to left polarity in a two-step, push-pull process.

The phage phi29 membrane protein p16.7, involved in DNA replication, is required for efficient ejection of the viral genome

It is becoming clear that in vivo phage DNA ejection is not a mere passive process. In most cases, both phage and host proteins seem to be involved in pulling at least part of the viral DNA inside the cell. The DNA ejection mechanism of Bacillus subtilis bacteriophage phi29 is a two-step process where the linear DNA penetrates the cell with a right-left polarity. In the first step approximately 65% of the DNA is pushed into the cell. In the second step, the remaining DNA is actively pulled into the cytoplasm. This step requires protein p17, which is encoded by the right-side early operon that is ejected during the first push step. The membrane protein p16.7, also encoded by the right-side early operon, is known to play an important role in membrane-associated phage DNA replication. In this work we show that, in addition, p16.7 is required for efficient execution of the second pull step of DNA ejection.

Characterization of a novel intramolecular chaperone domain conserved in endosialidases and other bacteriophage tail spike and fiber proteins

Folding and assembly of endosialidases, the trimeric tail spike proteins of Escherichia coli K1-specific bacteriophages, crucially depend on their C-terminal domain (CTD). Homologous CTDs were identified in phage proteins belonging to three different protein families: neck appendage proteins of several Bacillus phages, L-shaped tail fibers of coliphage T5, and K5 lyases, the tail spike proteins of phages infecting E. coli K5. By analyzing a representative of each family, we show that in all cases, the CTD is cleaved off after a strictly conserved serine residue and alanine substitution prevented cleavage. Further structural and functional analyses revealed that (i) CTDs are autonomous domains with a high alpha-helical content; (ii) proteolytically released CTDs assemble into hexamers, which are most likely dimers of trimers; (iii) highly conserved amino acids within the CTD are indispensable for CTD-mediated folding and complex formation; (iv) CTDs can be exchanged between proteins of different families; and (v) proteolytic cleavage is essential to stabilize the native protein complex. Data obtained for full-length and proteolytically processed endosialidase variants suggest that release of the CTD increases the unfolding barrier, trapping the mature trimer in a kinetically stable conformation. In summary, we characterize the CTD as a novel C-terminal chaperone domain, which assists folding and assembly of unrelated phage proteins.

Phage phi29 proteins p1 and p17 are required for efficient binding of architectural protein p6 to viral DNA in vivo

Bacteriophage phi29 protein p6 is a viral architectural protein, which binds along the whole linear phi29 DNA in vivo and is involved in initiation of DNA replication and transcription control. Protein p1 is a membrane-associated viral protein, proposed to attach the viral genome to the cell membrane. Protein p17 is involved in pulling phi29 DNA into the cell during the injection process. We have used chromatin immunoprecipitation and real-time PCR to analyze in vivo p6 binding to DNA in cells infected with phi29 sus1 or sus17 mutants; in both cases p6 binding is significantly decreased all along phi29 DNA. phi29 DNA is topologically constrained in vivo, and p6 binding is highly increased in the presence of novobiocin, a gyrase inhibitor that produces a loss of DNA negative superhelicity. Here we show that, in cells infected with phi29 sus1 or sus17 mutants, the increase of p6 binding by novobiocin is even higher than in cells containing p1 and p17, alleviating the p6 binding deficiency. Therefore, proteins p1 and p17 could be required to restrain the proper topology of phi29 DNA, which would explain the impaired DNA replication observed in cells infected with sus1 or sus17 mutants.

The push-pull mechanism of bacteriophage Ø29 DNA injection

The mechanism of bacteriophage DNA injection is poorly understood, often considered a simple process, driven merely by the packing pressure inside the capsid. In contrast to the well-established DNA packaging mechanism of Bacillus subtilis phage Ø29, that involves a molecular motor formed by the connector and a viral ATPase, nothing is known about its DNA injection into the cell. We have studied this process measuring DNA binding of p6, a viral genome organization protein. The linear DNA penetrates with a right-left polarity, in a two-step process. In the first step approximately 65% of the genome is pushed into the cell most probably by the pressure built inside the viral capsid. Thus, synthesis of viral proteins from the right early operon is allowed. This step is controlled, probably by bacterial protein(s) that slow down DNA entry. In the second step at least one of the viral early proteins, p17, participates in the molecular machinery that pulls the remaining DNA inside the cell. Both steps are energy-dependent, as treatment of cells with azide overrides the whole mechanism, leading to a deregulated, passive entry of DNA.

Binding of phage Phi29 architectural protein p6 to the viral genome: evidence for topological restriction of the phage linear DNA

Bacillus subtilis phage Phi29 protein p6 is required for DNA replication and promotes the switch from early to late transcription. In vivo it binds all along the viral linear DNA, which suggests a global role as an architectural protein; in contrast, binding to bacterial DNA is negligible. This specificity could be due to the p6 binding preference for less negatively supercoiled DNA, as is presumably the case with viral (with respect to bacterial) DNA. Here we demonstrate that p6 binding to Phi29 DNA is greatly increased when negative supercoiling is decreased by novobiocin; in addition, gyrase is required for DNA replication. This indicates that, although non-covalently closed, the viral genome is topologically constrained in vivo. We also show that the p6 binding to different Phi29 DNA regions is modulated by the structural properties of their nucleotide sequences. The higher affinity for DNA ends is possibly related to the presence of sequences in which their bendability properties favor the formation of the p6-DNA complex, whereas the lower affinity for the transcription control region is most probably due to the presence of a rigid intrinsic DNA curvature.

Genome wide, supercoiling-dependent in vivo binding of a viral protein involved in DNA replication and transcriptional control

Protein p6 of Bacillus subtilis bacteriophage Phi29 is essential for phage development. In vitro it activates the initiation of DNA replication and is involved in the early to late transcriptional switch. These activities require the formation of a nucleoprotein complex in which the DNA forms a right-handed superhelix wrapping around a multimeric protein core. However, there was no evidence of p6 binding to Phi29 DNA in vivo. By crosslinking, chromatin immunoprecipitation and real-time PCR we show that protein p6 binds to most, if not all, the viral genome in vivo, although with higher affinity for both DNA ends, which contain the replication origins. In contrast, the affinity for plasmid DNA is negligible, but greatly increases when the negative supercoiling decreases, as shown in vivo by treatment of cells with novobiocin and in vitro by fluorescence quenching with plasmids with different topology. In conclusion, binding of protein p6 all along the Phi29 genome strongly suggests that its functions in replication and transcription control could be local outcomes of a more global role as a histone-like protein. The p6 binding dependence on DNA topology could explain its preferential binding to viral with respect to bacterial DNA, whose level of negative supercoiling is presumably higher than that of Phi29 DNA.

In vivo assembly of phage phi 29 replication protein p1 into membrane-associated multimeric structures

The mechanisms underlying compartmentalization of prokaryotic DNA replication are largely unknown. In the case of the Bacillus subtilis phage 29, the viral protein p1 enhances the rate of in vivo viral DNA replication. Previous work showed that p1 generates highly ordered structures in vitro. We now show that protein p1, like integral membrane proteins, has an amphiphilic nature. Furthermore, immunoelectron microscopy studies reveal that p1 has a peripheral subcellular location. By combining in vivo chemical cross-linking and cell fractionation techniques, we also demonstrate that p1 assembles in infected cells into multimeric structures that are associated with the bacterial membrane. These structures exist both during viral DNA replication and when 29 DNA synthesis is blocked due to the lack of viral replisome components. In addition, protein p1 encoded by plasmid generates membrane-associated multimers and supports DNA replication of a p1-lacking mutant phage, suggesting that the pre-assembled structures are functional. We propose that a phage structure assembled on the cell membrane provides a specific site for 29 DNA replication.

Bacteriophage phi 29 early protein p17. Self-association and hetero-association with the viral histone-like protein p6

Gene 17 of the Bacillus subtilis phage Phi29 is expressed early after infection, and it has been shown to be required at the very beginning of phage replication under conditions of low but not high multiplicity of infection. It has been proposed that, at the beginning of the infection, protein p17 could be recruiting limiting amounts of initiation factors at the viral origins. Once the infection process is established and the replication proteins reach optimal concentration, protein p17 becomes dispensable. In this paper we focused, on the one hand, on the study of protein p17 dimerization and the role of a putative coiled-coil region. On the other hand, we focused on its interaction with the viral origin-binding protein p6. Based on our results we propose that protein p17 function is to optimize binding of protein p6 at the viral DNA ends, thus favoring the initiation of replication and negatively modulating its own transcription.

Phi29 family of phages

Continuous research spanning more than three decades has made the Bacillus bacteriophage phi29 a paradigm for several molecular mechanisms of general biological processes, such as DNA replication, regulation of transcription, phage morphogenesis, and phage DNA packaging. The genome of bacteriophage phi29 consists of a linear double-stranded DNA (dsDNA), which has a terminal protein (TP) covalently linked to its 5' ends. Initiation of DNA replication, carried out by a protein-primed mechanism, has been studied in detail and is considered to be a model system for the protein-primed DNA replication that is also used by most other linear genomes with a TP linked to their DNA ends, such as other phages, linear plasmids, and adenoviruses. In addition to a continuing progress in unraveling the initiation of DNA replication mechanism and the role of various proteins involved in this process, major advances have been made during the last few years, especially in our understanding of transcription regulation, the head-tail connector protein, and DNA packaging. Recent progress in all these topics is reviewed. In addition to phi29, the genomes of several other Bacillus phages consist of a linear dsDNA with a TP molecule attached to their 5' ends. These phi29-like phages can be divided into three groups. The first group includes, in addition to phi29, phages PZA, phi15, and BS32. The second group comprises B103, Nf, and M2Y, and the third group contains GA-1 as its sole member. Whereas the DNA sequences of the complete genomes of phi29 (group I) and B103 (group II) are known, only parts of the genome of GA-1 (group III) were sequenced. We have determined the complete DNA sequence of the GA-1 genome, which allowed analysis of differences and homologies between the three groups of phi29-like phages, which is included in this review.

Characterization of the bacteriophage phi29-encoded protein p16.7: a membrane protein involved in phage DNA replication

An early expressed operon, located at the right end of the linear bacteriophage phi29 genome, contains open reading frame (ORF)16.7, whose deduced protein sequence of 130 amino acids is conserved in phi29-related phages. Here, we show that this ORF actually encodes a protein, p16.7, which is abundantly and early expressed after infection. p16.7 is a membrane protein, and the N-terminally located transmembrane-spanning domain is required for its membrane localization. The variant p16.7A, in which the N-terminal membrane anchor was replaced by a histidine-tag, was purified and characterized. Purified p16.7A was shown to form dimers in solution. To study the in vivo role of p16.7, a phi29 mutant containing a suppressible mutation in gene 16.7 was constructed. In vivo phage DNA replication was affected in the absence of p16.7, especially at early infection times. Based on the results, the putative role of p16.7 in in vivo phi29 DNA replication is discussed.

Pleiotropic effect of protein P6 on the viral cycle of bacteriophage phi29

The product of bacteriophage phi29 early gene 6, protein p6, is a double-stranded-DNA binding protein and one of the more abundant proteins during viral infection. We have studied the role of protein p6 in vivo through the infection of suppressor and nonsuppressor Bacillus subtilis strains with a phage carrying a nonsense mutation in gene 6, sus6(626). In the absence of functional protein p6, the two major processes of the viral cycle, transcription and DNA replication, were affected. Viral DNA synthesis was practically abolished, and early transcription was remarkably delayed and, in addition, underregulated at late times of the infection. The amount of protein p6 synthesized after infection with mutant phage sus6(626) under suppressor conditions was sixfold lower than that produced after wild-type infection. Nonetheless, phage production was as high as that obtained after wild-type infection. These results indicate that p6 is synthesized in amounts higher than those needed for most of its functions. However, the concentration of protein p6 appeared to be important for repression of the early promoter C2.

Compartmentalization of phage phi29 DNA replication: interaction between the primer terminal protein and the membrane-associated protein p1

The bacteriophage phi29 replication protein p1 (85 amino acids) is membrane associated in Bacillus subtilis-infected cells. The C-terminal 52 amino acid residues of p1 are sufficient for assembly into protofilament sheet structures. Using chemical cross-linking experiments, we demonstrate here that p1DeltaC43, a C-terminally truncated p1 protein that neither associates with membranes in vivo nor self-interacts in vitro, can interact with the primer terminal protein (TP) in vitro. Like protein p1, plasmid-encoded protein p1DeltaC43 reduces the rate of phi29 DNA replication in vivo in a dosage-dependent manner. We also show that truncated p1 proteins that retain the N-terminal 42 amino acids, when present in excess, interfere with the in vitro formation of the TP.dAMP initiation complex in a reaction that depends on the efficient formation of a primer TP-phi29 DNA polymerase heterodimer. This interference is suppressed by increasing the concentration of either primer TP or phi29 DNA polymerase. We propose a model for initiation of in vivo phi29 DNA replication in which the viral replisome attaches to a membrane-associated p1-based structure.

Identification of residues within two regions involved in self-association of viral histone-like protein p6 from phage theta29

Protein p6 of Bacillus subtilis phage theta29 is involved in the initiation of viral DNA replication and transcription by forming a multimeric nucleoprotein complex with the phage DNA. Based on this, together with its abundance and its capacity to bind to the whole viral genome, it has been proposed to be a viral histone-like protein. Protein p6 is in a monomer-dimer-oligomer equilibrium association. We have identified protein p6 mutants deficient in self-association by testing random mutants obtained by degenerated polymerase chain reaction in an in vivo assay for dimer formation. The mutations were mainly clustered in two regions located at the N terminus, and the central part of the protein. Site-directed single mutants, corresponding to those found in vivo, have been constructed and purified. Mutant p6A44V, located at the central part of the protein, showed an impaired dimer formation ability, and a reduced capacity to bind DNA and to activate the initiation of O29 DNA replication. Mutant p6I8T has at least 10-fold reduced self-association capacity, does not bind DNA nor activate O29 DNA initiation of replication. C-terminal deletion mutants showed an enhanced dimer formation capacity. The highly acidic tail, removed in these mutants, is proposed to modulate the protein p6 self-association.

Bacteriophage phi29 early protein p17 is conditionally required for the first rounds of viral DNA replication

The gene 17 of the Bacillus subtilis phage phi29 is known to be involved in the viral DNA replication in vivo. In this paper, we show that the presence of protein p17 is required when phage infection occurs at a low multiplicity of infection (moi), which is probably the natural condition for infection, but is dispensable at a high moi. Gene 17 has been cloned in an Escherichia coli expression vector and protein p17 purified. A stimulatory effect of protein p17 was demonstrated under in vitro conditions required to amplify phi29 DNA, starting with a low amount of input DNA. We propose that p17, which is synthesized early after infection, is required at the very beginning of the phage amplification, conditions in which a low number of viral DNA molecules enter the host cell, possibly to recruit the limiting amount of initiation factors at the replication origins. Once the infection process is established and the other replication proteins reach optimal concentration, p17 becomes dispensable.

Phage phi29 protein p6 is in a monomer-dimer equilibrium that shifts to higher association states at the millimolar concentrations found in vivo

Protein p6 from Bacillus subtilis phage phi29 (Mr = 11 800) binds in vitro to DNA forming a large nucleoprotein complex in which the DNA wraps a multimeric protein core. The high intracellular abundance of protein p6 together with its ability to bind the whole phi29 DNA in vitro strongly suggests that it plays a role in viral genome organization. We have determined by sedimentation equilibrium analysis that protein p6 (1-100 microM range), in the absence of DNA, is in a monomer-dimer equilibrium, with an association constant (K2) of approximately 2 x 10(5) M-1. The intracellular concentration of protein p6 (approximately 1 mM) was estimated measuring the number of copies per cell (7 x 10(5)) and the cell volume (1 x 10(-15) L). At concentrations around 1 mM, protein p6 associates into oligomers. This self-association behavior is compatible with a dimer-hexamer model (K2,6 = 3.2 x 10(8) M-2) or with an isodesmic association of the dimer (K = 950 M-1), because the apparent weight-average molecular mass (Mw,a) does not reach saturation at the highest protein concentrations. The sedimentation coefficients of protein p6 monomer and dimer were 1.4 and 2.0, respectively, compatible with translational frictional ratios (f/fo) of 1.15 and 1.30, which slightly deviate from the hydrodynamics of a rigid globular protein. Taking together these results and considering the structure of the nucleoprotein complex, we speculate that the observed oligomers of protein p6 could mimic a scaffold on which DNA folds to form the nucleoprotein complex in vivo.

Initiation of bacteriophage phi29 DNA replication in vivo: assembly of a membrane-associated multiprotein complex

Initiation of in vitro phage phi29 DNA replication requires the formation of a heterodimer between a free molecule of terminal protein (TP), which acts as primer, and the viral DNA polymerase. We have analyzed membrane vesicles from phi29-infected Bacillus subtilis cells by quantitative immunoblot techniques. During phage DNA synthesis, large amounts of the viral proteins p1 and free TP were recovered in membrane fractions, as well as a low percentage of the total viral DNA polymerase. Interestingly, the amount of DNA polymerase in membrane fractions increased when viral DNA replication was blocked. Both protein p1 and free TP showed affinity for membranes in the absence of viral DNA. The association of protein p1 with membranes was abolished when the C-terminal 43 amino acid residues were deleted. The above results, together with the critical role of protein p1 for in vivo phi29 DNA replication, led us to conclude that a preliminary stage in the initiation of in vivo phi29 DNA replication could be the assembly of a membrane-associated multiprotein complex containing at least protein p1, free TP and DNA polymerase. Membrane-attachment of this complex could be directly mediated by both protein p1 and free TP. The ability of free TP to bind to membranes and to prime phi29 DNA replication would enable a nascent viral DNA molecule to become membrane-associated when its synthesis begins. We postulate that a general function of the TPs covalently linked to linear DNA genomes in prokaryotes might be, in addition to act as primer, to anchor the linear DNA molecule to the bacterial membrane.

Activation of replication origins in phi29-related phages requires the recognition of initiation proteins to specific nucleoprotein complexes

Protein p6 of Bacillus subtilis phage phi29 activates the initiation of viral DNA replication by forming a multimeric nucleoprotein complex at the origins of replication, located at both ends of the linear genome. This activation requires a precise positioning of the protein p6 array with respect to the initiation site. To investigate this activation mechanism, we have purified the phi29 protein p6 counterparts from the related phages Nf and GA-1 and analyzed the formation of complexes with DNA. In the homologous protein p6-DNA complexes the phi29 and Nf protein arrays showed an identical positioning, different than that of the GA-1 protein array. In contrast, in the heterologous complexes the protein showed a different arrangement except in the case of the Nf protein-phi29 DNA complex. We have also purified the proteins involved in the initiation of replication (terminal protein and DNA polymerase) from phages Nf and GA-1 and measured the ability of the different p6 proteins to activate homologous and heterologous replication origins. The results obtained indicate that the activation requires not only the formation of a specific nucleoprotein complex but also its specific recognition by the proteins involved in the initiation of DNA replication.

Terminal protein-primed DNA amplification

By using appropriate amounts of four bacteriophage phi 29 DNA replication proteins--terminal protein, DNA polymerase, protein p6 (double-stranded DNA-binding protein), and protein p5 (single-stranded DNA-binding protein)--it has been possible to amplify limited amounts of the 19,285-bp-long phi 29 DNA molecule by three orders of magnitude after 1 hr of incubation at 30 degrees C. Moreover, the quality of the amplified material was demonstrated by transfection experiments, in which infectivity of the synthetic (amplified) phi 29 DNA, measured as the ability to produce phage particles, was identical to that of the natural phi 29 DNA obtained from virions. The results presented in this paper establish some of the requisites for the development of isothermal DNA amplification strategies based on the bacteriophage phi 29 DNA replication machinery that are suitable for the amplification of very large (> 70 kb) segments of DNA.

A genetic approach to the identification of functional amino acids in protein p6 of Bacillus subtilis phage phi 29

Protein p6 of the Bacillus subtilis phage phi 29 is essential for in vivo viral DNA replication. This protein activates the initiation of phi 29 DNA replication in vitro by forming a multimeric nucleoprotein complex at the replication origins. The N-terminal region of protein p6 is involved in DNA binding, as shown by in vitro studies with p6 proteins altered by deletions or missense mutations. We report on the development of an in vivo functional assay for protein p6. This assay is based on the ability of protein p6-producing B. subtilis non-suppressor (su) cells to support growth of a phi 29 sus6 mutant phage. We have used this trans-complementation assay to investigate the effect on in vivo viral DNA synthesis of missense mutations introduced into the protein p6 N-terminal region. The alteration of lysine to alanine at position 2 resulted in a partially functional protein, whereas the replacement of arginine by alanine at position 6 gave rise to an inactive protein. These results indicate that arginine at position 6 is critical for the in vivo activity of protein p6. Our complementation system provides a useful genetic approach for the identification of functionally important amino acids in protein p6.

In vivo functional relationships among terminal proteins of Bacillus subtilis phi 29-related phages

Gene 3 of the Bacillus subtilis phage phi 29 encodes the terminal protein (TP), which acts as a primer in the initiation of viral DNA replication. We have developed an in vivo functional assay for the phi 29 TP based on the ability of TP-producing B. subtilis non-suppressor (su-) cells to support DNA replication of a phi 29 sus3 mutant phage. This trans-complementation assay has been used to study in vivo functional relationships between the TP of phi 29 and related phages. Our results demonstrate that phi 29 TP functionally substitutes the TP of phage PZA, whereas replication of phage Nf DNA cannot take place in vivo using the phi 29 TP as a primer.

DNA structure in the nucleoprotein complex that activates replication of phage phi 29

Initiation of phage phi 29 DNA replication is activated by the viral protein p6 which forms a nucleoprotein complex at the replication origins, located at the linear genome ends. The complex consists of a DNA right-handed superhelix wrapped around a multimeric protein core. We have determined the superhelical path of the DNA in the complex, measuring the change in linking number induced by the protein, the surface-related helical repeat and the compaction of the DNA. One superhelical turn has approximately 63 bp (2.6 p6 dimers). Furthermore, we have determined that the DNA binding domain of protein p6 is located at the N-terminal region, predicted to form an amphipathic alpha-helix. We have obtained, by site-directed mutagenesis, protein p6 mutants in the polar side of the putative helix in which their DNA binding and replication activation properties were impaired or undetectable, in agreement with in vivo results.

Phage phi 29 protein p6: a viral histone-like protein

Phage phi 29 protein p6 is one of the most abundant viral proteins in phi 29-infected B subtilis cells, constituting about 4% of the total cellular proteins (about 3 x 10(6) copies/cell) at late infection. Electron microscopic studies showed that, in vitro, protein p6 forms heterogeneously-sized complexes all along phi 29 DNA, suggesting that protein p6 may have a role in genome packaging and organization. The low stability of the protein p6-phi 29 DNA complexes observed in vitro could reflect the dynamic nature of these complexes, to allow replication, transcription, and encapsidation of the genome. The protein p6-DNA complex consists of a DNA right-handed superhelix wrapped around a multimeric protein core. The DNA in this complex is strongly distorted and compacted. Protein p6 recognition signals have been mapped near the ends of the linear phi 29 DNA and act as nucleation sites for complex formation. Protein p6 does not recognize a specific sequence, but sequences with specific bendable properties that would favor the formation of the complex. Protein p6 represses transcription from the phi 29 C2 early promoter, and activates initiation of phi 29 DNA replication that occurs from both DNA ends. The formation of nucleoprotein complexes at the origins of replication, as well as the specific positioning of protein p6 with respect to the DNA ends are required for the activation of replication. This suggests that the proteins involved in the initiation step of phi 29 DNA replication, either directly interact with protein p6, or recognize a conformational change at a specific location in the DNA. The mechanism of activation could be the local and transient unpairing of DNA at specific sites, facilitated by the strong distortion of DNA conformation in the nucleoprotein complex.

The missing link in phage lysis of gram-positive bacteria: gene 14 of Bacillus subtilis phage phi 29 encodes the functional homolog of lambda S protein

In most bacteriophages of gram-negative bacteria, the phage endolysin is released to its murein substrate through a lesion in the inner membrane. The lesion is brought about by a second phage-encoded lysis function. For the first time, we present evidence that the same strategy is elaborated by a phage of a gram-positive bacterium. Thus, there appears to be an evolutionarily conserved lysis pathway for most phages whether their host bacterium is gram negative or gram positive. Phage phi 29 gene 14, the product of which is required for efficient lysis of Bacillus subtilis, was cloned in Escherichia coli. Production of protein 14 in E. coli resulted in cell death, whereas production of protein 14 concomitantly with the phi 29 lysozyme or unrelated murein-degrading enzymes led to lysis, suggesting that membrane-bound protein 14 induces a nonspecific lesion in the cytoplasmic membrane.

Bacteriophage lysis: mechanism and regulation

Bacteriophage lysis involves at least two fundamentally different strategies. Most phages elaborate at least two proteins, one of which is a murein hydrolase, or lysin, and the other is a membrane protein, which is given the designation holin in this review. The function of the holin is to create a lesion in the cytoplasmic membrane through which the murein hydrolase passes to gain access to the murein layer. This is necessary because phage-encoded lysins never have secretory signal sequences and are thus incapable of unassisted escape from the cytoplasm. The holins, whose prototype is the lambda S protein, share a common organization in terms of the arrangement of charged and hydrophobic residues, and they may all contain at least two transmembrane helical domains. The available evidence suggests that holins oligomerize to form nonspecific holes and that this hole-forming step is the regulated step in phage lysis. The correct scheduling of the lysis event is as much an essential feature of holin function as is the hole formation itself. In the second strategy of lysis, used by the small single-stranded DNA phage phi X174 and the single-stranded RNA phage MS2, no murein hydrolase activity is synthesized. Instead, there is a single species of small membrane protein, unlike the holins in primary structure, which somehow causes disruption of the envelope. These lysis proteins function by activation of cellular autolysins. A host locus is required for the lytic function of the phi X174 lysis gene E.

Deletions at the N terminus of bacteriophage phi 29 protein p6: DNA binding and activity in phi 29 DNA replication

Deletions corresponding to the first 5 or 13 amino acids (aa), not counting the initial Met, have been introduced into the N terminus of the phage phi 29 protein p6. The activity of such proteins in the in vitro phi 29 DNA replication system, their capacity to interact with the phi 29 DNA ends, and their interference with the wild type (wt) protein p6 activity have been studied. The initiation activity of protein p6 decreased considerably when 5 as were deleted and was undetectable when 13 aa were removed. The mutant proteins were unable to specifically interact with the phi 29 DNA ends. These results indicate the need of an intact N terminus for the activity of protein p6. However, such N-truncated proteins inhibited both the specific binding of the wt protein p6 to the phi 29 DNA ends and its activity in phi 29 DNA replication.

A novel nucleoprotein complex at a replication origin

The viral protein p6, required for the protein-primed initiation of replication of Bacillus subtilis phage phi 29, forms a nucleoprotein complex at the viral replication origins that shows novel features. Deoxyribonuclease I and hydroxyl radical footprinting data, as well as the induction of positive supercoiling, support a model in which a DNA right-handed superhelix tightly wraps around a multimeric p6 core. The interaction occurs through the DNA minor groove. The activity of p6 not only requires the formation of the complex but also its correct positioning, indicating that the other proteins involved in the initiation of replication recognize, at a precise position, either the p6 core or the DNA conformational change induced by p6.

Regions at the carboxyl end of bacteriophage phi 29 protein p6 required for DNA binding and activity in phi 29 DNA replication

Series of deletions corresponding to the carboxyl end of the phage phi 29 protein p6 have been constructed and their activity in the initiation of phi 29 DNA replication and their capacity to interact with the phi 29 DNA ends have been studied. Determination of the activity of the deletion mutants in phi 29 DNA replication indicated the dispensability of the 14 carboxy-terminal amino acids of the protein. The activity of protein p6 decreased with deletions from 23 to 39 amino acids and was undetectable when 44 amino acids were removed. A similar behaviour was obtained when the interaction of the mutant proteins with the phi 29 DNA ends was analyzed. These results indicate that the stimulation of phi 29 DNA replication by protein p6 requires a specific binding to the phi 29 DNA ends.

Characterization of the phage phi 29 protein p5 as a single-stranded DNA binding protein. Function in phi 29 DNA-protein p3 replication

The phage phi 29 protein p5, required in vivo in the elongation step of phi 29 DNA replication, was highly purified from Escherichia coli cells harbouring a gene 5-containing plasmid and from phi 29-infected Bacillus subtilis. The protein was characterized as the gene 5 product by amino acid analysis and NH2-terminal sequence determination. The purified protein p5 was shown to bind to single-stranded DNA and to protect it against nuclease degradation. No effect of protein p5 was observed either on the formation of the p3-dAMP initiation complex or on the rate of elongation. However, protein p5 greatly stimulated phi 29 DNA-protein p3 replication at incubation times where the replication in the absence of p5 leveled off.

Characterization, overproduction and purification of the product of gene 1 of Bacillus subtilis phage phi 29

Unit-length phi 29 DNA was not synthesized after restrictive infection of Bacillus subtilis with the phi 29 mutant sus1(629) indicating that the phage phi 29 protein p1 is needed for the viral DNA replication. Sequencing of the ORF-6 of mutant sus1(629) showed that a C in the wild-type (wt) phage had been changed to a T at nt position 19 of the ORF-6, giving rise to a TAA ochre codon, indicating that this ORF corresponds to gene 1. ORF-6 was cloned in plasmid pPLc28 under the control of the pL promoter of phage lambda and, after induction, a protein of about 10 kDa was overproduced, which was absent in the corresponding cells harbouring a recombinant plasmid with the sus1(629) mutation, indicating that the 10-kDa protein is the product of gene 1. In addition, a protein of lower Mr was synthesized after induction of the cells harbouring recombinant plasmids with the wt or the sus1(629) DNA. Both proteins were purified and characterized by N-terminal sequence determination and amino acid analysis. The low-Mr protein, named delta 1, has a size of 6 kDa and corresponds to an internal in-phase initiation event in ORF-6.

Replication of recombinant phi 29 DNA molecules in Bacillus subtilis protoplasts

Recombinant phi 29 DNA molecules of different sizes and containing terminal protein at one or both ends, or without terminal protein, were prepared and their replication in Bacillus subtilis protoplasts was studied. Only phi 29 DNA molecules containing terminal protein at both ends replicate in vivo. The replication of symmetric DNA recombinant molecules (dimers) gives rise to displaced strands which by self-annealing create monomers with the two DNA strands covalently linked. Viral proteins p2, p3, and p6 are essential for replication of phi 29 DNA molecules in this system. Protein p17 is not essential, but stimulates the efficiency of replication. This stimulation depends on the host used.

Protein-primed replication of bacteriophage phi 29 DNA

The replication of phi 29 DNA-protein p3 represents a simple model system to study the protein-priming mechanism of initiation of replication. The phi 29 DNA polymerase involved both in the initiation and elongation steps of phi 29 DNA-protein p3 replication, is a very processive enzyme and it is able to produce strand-displacement in the absence of other proteins. To correlate functional and structural domains in the phi 29 DNA polymerase point mutants in the most carboxyl region of amino-acid homology with other DNA polymerases have been constructed. Most of the mutations had a decreased initiation and elongation activity, but normal 3'----5' exonuclease activity, suggesting that this region contributes to the active domain for initiation and elongation. Point and deletion mutants in the terminal protein have allowed the mapping of one DNA-binding region and two DNA-polymerase-binding regions. The viral protein p6, which stimulates the initiation of replication, binds to a set of specific signals present at both phi 29 DNA ends. A good correlation of binding and stimulation of replication has been obtained by using fragments containing phi 29 DNA-terminal sequences and deletion mutants of protein p6. The viral protein p5 has been shown to bind to single-stranded DNA, to protect the latter against nuclease digetion, and to stimulate phi 29 DNA-protein p3 replication in vitro.