The single-stranded DNA phages

In vivo phage display identifies novel peptides for cardiac targeting

Heart failure remains a leading cause of mortality. Therapeutic intervention for heart failure would benefit from targeted delivery to the damaged heart tissue. Here, we applied in vivo peptide phage display coupled with high-throughput Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) and identified peptides specifically targeting damaged cardiac tissue. We established a bioinformatics pipeline for the identification of cardiac targeting peptides. Hit peptides demonstrated preferential uptake by human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived cardiomyocytes and immortalized mouse HL1 cardiomyocytes, without substantial uptake in human liver HepG2 cells. These novel peptides hold promise for use in targeted drug delivery and regenerative strategies and open new avenues in cardiovascular research and clinical practice.

Microviruses: A World Beyond phiX174

Two decades of metagenomic analyses have revealed that in many environments, small (∼5 kb), single-stranded DNA phages of the family Microviridae dominate the virome. Although the emblematic microvirus phiX174 is ubiquitous in the laboratory, most other microviruses, particularly those of the gokushovirus and amoyvirus lineages, have proven to be much more elusive. This puzzling lack of representative isolates has hindered insights into microviral biology. Furthermore, the idiosyncratic size and nature of their genomes have resulted in considerable misjudgments of their actual abundance in nature. Fortunately, recent successes in microvirus isolation and improved metagenomic methodologies can now provide us with more accurate appraisals of their abundance, their hosts, and their interactions. The emerging picture is that phiX174 and its relatives are rather rare and atypical microviruses, and that a tremendous diversity of other microviruses is ready for exploration.

An Infectious Virus-like Particle Built on a Programmable Icosahedral DNA Framework

Viral genomes can be compressed into a near-spherical nanochamber to form infectious particles. In order to mimic the virus morphology and packaging behavior, we invented a programmable icosahedral DNA nanoframe with enhanced rigidity and encapsulated the phiX174 bacteriophage genome. The packaging efficiency could be modulated through specific anchoring strands adjustment, and the trapped phage genome remained accessible for enzymatic operations. Moreover, the packed complex could infect Escherichia coli (E. coli) cells through bacterial uptake to produce plaques. This rigid icosahedral DNA architecture demonstrated a versatile platform to develop virus mimetic particles for convenient functional nucleic acid entrapment, manipulation and delivery.

Synthesis of DNA Origami Scaffolds: Current and Emerging Strategies

DNA origami nanocarriers have emerged as a promising tool for many biomedical applications, such as biosensing, targeted drug delivery, and cancer immunotherapy. These highly programmable nanoarchitectures are assembled into any shape or size with nanoscale precision by folding a single-stranded DNA scaffold with short complementary oligonucleotides. The standard scaffold strand used to fold DNA origami nanocarriers is usually the M13mp18 bacteriophage’s circular single-stranded DNA genome with limited design flexibility in terms of the sequence and size of the final objects. However, with the recent progress in automated DNA origami design—allowing for increasing structural complexity—and the growing number of applications, the need for scalable methods to produce custom scaffolds has become crucial to overcome the limitations of traditional methods for scaffold production. Improved scaffold synthesis strategies will help to broaden the use of DNA origami for more biomedical applications. To this end, several techniques have been developed in recent years for the scalable synthesis of single stranded DNA scaffolds with custom lengths and sequences. This review focuses on these methods and the progress that has been made to address the challenges confronting custom scaffold production for large-scale DNA origami assembly.

Conformations and membrane-driven self-organization of rodlike fd virus particles on freestanding lipid membranes

Membrane-mediated interactions and aggregation of colloidal particles adsorbed to responsive elastic membranes are challenging problems relevant for understanding the microscopic organization and dynamics of biological membranes. We experimentally study the behavior of rodlike semiflexible fd virus particles electrostatically adsorbed to freestanding cationic lipid membranes and find that their behavior can be controlled by tuning the membrane charge and ionic strength of the surrounding medium. Three distinct interaction regimes of rodlike virus particles with responsive elastic membranes can be observed. (i) A weakly charged freestanding cationic lipid bilayer in a low ionic strength medium represents a gentle quasi-2D substrate preserving the integrity, structure, and mechanical properties of the membrane-bound semiflexible fd virus, which under these conditions is characterized by a monomer length of 884 ± 4 nm and a persistence length of 2.5 ± 0.2 μm, in perfect agreement with its properties in bulk media. (ii) An increase in the membrane charge leads to the membrane-driven collapse of fd virus particles on freestanding lipid bilayers and lipid nanotubes into compact globules. (iii) When the membrane charge is low, and the mutual electrostatic repulsion of membrane-bound virus particles is screened to a considerable degree, membrane-driven self-organization of membrane-bound fd virus particles into long linear tip-to-tip aggregates showing dynamic self-assembly/disassembly and quasi-semiflexible behavior takes place. These observations are in perfect agreement with the results of recent theoretical and simulation studies predicting that membrane-mediated interactions can control the behavior of colloidal particles adsorbed on responsive elastic membranes.

Characterisation of Bacillus stearothermophilus PcrA helicase: evidence against an active rolling mechanism

PcrA from Bacillus stearothermophilus is a DNA helicase for which, despite the availability of a crystal structure, there is very little biochemical information. We show that the enzyme has a broad nucleotide specificity, even being able to hydrolyse ethenonucleotides, and is able to couple the hydrolysis to unwinding of DNA substrates. In common with the Escherichia coli helicases Rep and UvrD, PcrA is a 3'-5' helicase but at high protein concentrations it can also displace a substrate with a 5' tail. However, in contrast to Rep and UvrD, we do not see any evidence for dimerisation of the protein even in the presence of DNA. The enzyme shows a specificity for the DNA substrate in gel mobility assays, with the preferred substrate being one with both single and double stranded regions of DNA. We propose that these data, together with existing structural evidence, support an inchworm rather than a rolling model for 3'-5' helicase activity.

The A protein of the filamentous bacteriophage Cf of Xanthomonas campestris pv. citri

Filamentous bacteriophages have very strict host specificities. Experiments were performed to investigate whether the A protein of the filamentous phage Cf, which infects Xanthomonas campestris pv. citri but not X. campestris pv. oryzae, is involved in determining Cf's host specificity. The gene encoding the A protein of Cf was cloned and expressed in X. campestris pv. citri. The genomic DNA of another filamentous bacteriophage, Xf, which infects X. campestris pv. oryzae but not X. campestris pv. citri, was then introduced by electroporation into X. campestris pv. citri that had expressed the A protein of Cf. The progeny phages thus produced were able to infect both X. campestris pv. oryzae and X. campestris pv. citri, indicating that the A protein of Cf was incorporated into the viral particles of Xf and conferred upon Xf the ability to infect the host of Cf. Inactivation of the A protein gene abolished the infectivity of Cf. The results of this study indicate that the A protein of Cf is responsible for controlling the host specificity of Cf.

Mapping the initiation sites of in vitro transcripts of bacteriophage S13

Analysis of in vitro run-off transcripts synthesized by Escherichia coli RNA polymerase holoenzyme on linearized bacteriophage S13 DNA templates revealed five major transcription initiation sites. The sites, located at positions 45, 982, 1823 (1827), 4876 and 5211, are each within the boundaries of promoters or putative promoters previously mapped by footprinting and RNA polymerase binding analyses. They correspond to initiations at promoters upstream of the A, B, and D genes, and at a medium-affinity and a high-affinity RNA polymerase binding site P5211, respectively. Sequence analysis of the 5'-ends of two transcripts confirmed their initiation with pppA at nt 982 and nt 5211, the B gene and high-affinity binding site P5211, respectively. Some of the transcripts initiated at nt 4876 and nt 5211 terminated at nt 64, providing direct evidence of the functionality of a p-independent termination site at nt 64.

Localization of Escherichia coli RNA polymerase-binding sites on bacteriophage S13 replicative form I DNA by protection of restriction enzyme cleavage sites

Protection of restriction endonuclease cleavage sites by Escherichia coli RNA polymerase bound to the replicative form I of bacteriophage S13 DNA has been used to identify a number of regions of RNA polymerase binding. Digestion with HincII, AluI, HinfI, or HaeIII, under conditions optimized for "open" complex formation, revealed 12 regions of RNA polymerase binding. Based on differential salt sensitivities, five of the regions were classified as strong or tight binding sites. These were located before genes A (two sites), B, and D and at the 5' end of gene F. The seven regions which exhibited weaker binding were located at the 5' end of gene C (two sites), in the middle of gene D, just before and at the 3' end of gene F, at the 5' end of gene G, and in the middle of gene H. The sites before genes B and D coincide with sites previously identified as promoters in bacteriophage phi X174. One of the sites before gene A, that at nucleotides 5175-5211, represents a new putative promoter site in bacteriophage S13 and phi X174 located before the previously identified A gene promoter at nucleotides 10-45.

A model for intracellular complexation between gene-5 protein and bacteriophage fd DNA

A structural model for the helical intracellular complex formed between the gene-5 DNA-binding protein (G 5 BP; approximately 1274 copies) and bacteriophage fd DNA has been derived by an atomic-contact analysis approach. These studies depended in large part on the recently determined high-resolution structure of the G 5 BP dimer and cross-correlations with physical-chemical data available from other techniques. The approach was to systematically scan the full set of helical complexation parameters involved, based upon observed structural and orientational constraints, to determine those compatible with both the structure of the G 5 BP dimer and the overall dimensions of the full complex. This process was monitored throughout by close scrutiny of dimer-dimer contacts and the use of hard-copy and interactive graphics devices. Instead of the wide variety of possibilities that had been expected from such an approach, only one satisfactory assembly of DNA and G 5 BP dimers could be found. The results indicate that phage DNA will be wound to the outside of the helical protein ribbon that forms the core of intracellular complex at a density of five nucleotides per G 5 BP monomer. Bound DNA strands are positioned in two contiguous binding channels, which form as a consequence of the interactions of complexed G 5 BP dimers. These channels run just inside the outer extended beta loops, composed of residue 20-30, and are separated by approximately 3.2 nm. The DNA phosphate backbone is bound at a substantially smaller radial distance (approximately 3.5 nm) than the maximum radius of the intracellular complex as a whole (approximately 4.5 nm) since bound DNA is embedded within these well-defined binding channels. Our studies also indicate that a number of sterically unacceptable contacts, involving residues 38-42, prevent complexation of otherwise complementary dimer surfaces in the absence of nucleic acids. In the process of binding DNA, these residues change conformation thereby allowing self-assembly of dimer units into a helical structure. We propose that these residues act as a two-position stereochemical switch that allows or disallows complex formation in response to the absence or presence of DNA.

Nucleotide sequence and genome organization of bacteriophage S13 DNA

The complete sequence of bacteriophage S13 DNA has been determined. The molecule has 5386 nucleotides and differs from phi X174 by 87 transitions and 24 transversions. All the proteins, A,A*,B,C,D,E,F,G,H, J and K found in phi X174 are also present in S13. Due to changes in the H/A intergenic region of S13, the start of an additional protein, A', has been identified. Genes F and H coding for the capsid and spike proteins, respectively, are the least conserved in comparison to phi X174. Many of the silent changes, as well as some amino acid changes, are found in the same nucleotide sequence positions in phage G4, confirming the interrelationship between the three phages.

Transcription in bacteriophage f1-infected Escherichia coli: RNA synthesized on DNA of deletion mutant PII shows the existence of a two-site terminator

Two different transcripts are synthesized on the DNA of deletion mutant PII of bacteriophage f1 in E. coli cells infected with this miniphage. Both RNA species appear to be primary transcripts and differ by about 100 nucleotides at their 3'OH end. Mapping of these molecules on the miniphage genome suggests that a two-site terminator is active at the end of the I region of transcription of bacteriophage f1.

Rho-dependence of the terminator active at the end of the I region of transcription of bacteriophage f1

Infection of rho- Escherichia coli cells with deletion mutant PII of bacteriophage f1 results in a miniphage RNA population composed of transcripts longer than those synthesized in the infection of rho+ cells. This indicates a Rho dependence of the terminator active at the end of the I region of transcription of bacteriophage f1. An estimate of the length of a transcript, which represents a good fraction of the RNA that passes beyond the terminator, indicates that the hairpin structure where synthesis of complementary strand DNA initiates also acts as a fairly efficient Rho-independent terminator.

Cloning vectors that yield high levels of single-stranded DNA for rapid DNA sequencing

We have constructed chimeric plasmid vectors with the origin and intergenic region from M13 phage cloned into the PvuII ( pZ145 ) and AhaIII ( pZ150 , pZ152 ) sites of pBR322. In the absence of M13 phage, these plasmids replicate like any other ColE1-derived plasmid and confer both ampicillin and tetracycline resistance (Amp, Tet). Upon infection with M13 phage, the viral origin present on the plasmids permits phage-directed plasmid replication and results in high yields of single-stranded (ss) plasmid DNA in M13-like particles. This ssDNA, which represents only one of the plasmid strands, is useful as a substrate for rapid DNA sequence determination by the dideoxy sequencing method described by Sanger et al. (1977). Since these plasmids contain an intact pBR322, the intergenic region can be transferred onto most pBR322 derivatives to yield ss plasmid DNA without affecting the recipient plasmid for further studies. We also constructed a deletion derivative of pZ145 , plasmid pZ146 , that does not exhibit interference with the growth of the M13 helper, although this plasmid is encapsidated into phage particles. This result confirms the theory that the intergenic region consists of two domains: one domain being a segment involved in phage morphogenesis and the other being a region of functional origin which interferes with M13 replication.

Refined structure of the gene 5 DNA binding protein from bacteriophage fd

The three-dimensional structure of the gene 5 DNA binding protein (G5BP) from bacteriophage fd has been determined from a combination of multiple isomorphous replacement techniques, partial refinements and deleted fragment difference Fourier syntheses. The structure was refined using restrained parameter least-squares and difference Fourier methods to a final residual of R = 0.217 for the 3528 statistically significant reflections present to 2.3 A resolution. In addition to the 682 atoms of the protein, 12 solvent molecules were included. We describe here the dispositions and orientations of the amino acid side-chains and their interactions as visualized in the G5BP structure. The G5BP monomer of 87 peptide units is almost entirely in the beta-conformation, organized as a three-stranded sheet, a two-stranded beta-ribbon and a broad connecting loop. There is no alpha-helix present in the molecule. Two G5BP monomers are tightly interlocked about an intermolecular dyad axis to form a compact dimer unit of about 55 A X 45 A X 36 A. The dimer is characterized by two symmetry-related antiparallel clefts that traverse the monomer surfaces essentially perpendicular to the dyad axis. From the three-stranded antiparallel beta-sheet, formed from the first two-thirds of the sequence, extend three tyrosine residues (26, 34, 41), a lysine (46) and two arginine residues (16, 21) that, as indicated by other physical and chemical experiments, are directly involved in DNA binding. Other residues likely to share binding responsibility are arginine 80 extending from the beta-ribbon and phenylalanine 73 from the tip of this loop, but as provided, however, by the opposite monomer within each G5BP dimer pair. Thus, both symmetry-related DNA binding sites have a composite nature and include contributions from both elements of the dimer. The gene 5 dimer is clearly the active binding species, and the two monomers within the dyad-related pair are so structurally contiguous that one cannot be certain whether the isolated monomer would maintain its observed crystal structure. This linkage is manifested primarily as a skeletal core of hydrophobic residues that extends from the center of each monomer continuously through an intermolecular beta-barrel that joins the pair. Protruding from the major area of density of each monomer is an elongated wing of tenuous structure comprising residues 15 through 32, which is, we believe, intimately involved in DNA binding. This wing appears to be dynamic and mobile, even in the crystal and, therefore, is likely to undergo conformational change in the presence of the ligand.

Transcription in bacteriophage f1-infected Escherichia coli: very large RNA species are synthesized on the phage DNA

Fractionation of pulse-labeled RNA extracted from E. coli cells infected with phage f1 and hybridization of this RNA to f1 DNA reveals that very large species are synthesized on the phage genome. Hybridization of the RNA to specific fragments of f1 DNA shows that, in the infected cell, at least one mRNA is present into which the sequences of genes III, VI, and I are all transcribed together. This result fully explains the polar effect shown by gene III mutants on the expression of genes VI and I (Pratt et al. 1966).

Escherichia coli host factor required specifically for the phi X174 stage III reaction: in vitro identification and partial purification

A cell-free extract prepared from phi X174-infected Escherichia coli cells sustained in vitro synthesis of viral DNA (stage III reaction) when supplemented with fraction II from uninfected cells. The reaction was dependent upon deoxyribonucleoside triphosphate, ATP, added phi X174 replicative form I DNA template, and the fraction II from uninfected cells. This reaction differed from the stage II reaction (semiconservative replication of duplex replicative form DNA) by the production of stable viral protein-DNA complexes sensitive to anti-phi X174 antiserum. Three types of protein-DNA complexes were identified, 50S, 92S, and a 114S complex that cobanded in CsCl and cosedimented in neutral sucrose gradients with a phi X174 phage marker. The sensitivity of these complexes to anti-phi X174 antiserum and Staphylococcus aureus provided a relatively rapid biochemical assay for direct measurement of the amount of DNA synthesized by the stage III reaction. With this assay, an E. coli factor (SIII) required specifically for the synthesis of viral protein-DNA complexes was identified and purified 200-fold from uninfected E. coli cells. The partially purified SIII factor was required for the synthesis of DNA and viral protein-DNA complexes in the phi X174-infected cell extracts and could not be replaced by rep protein, single-strand binding protein, or DNA polymerase III holoenzyme.

Nucleotide sequence of bacteriophage f1 DNA

The nucleotide sequence of the DNA of the filamentous coliphage f1 has been determined. In agreement with earlier conclusions, the genome was found to comprise 6,407 nucleotides, 1 less than that of the related phage fd. Phage f1 DNA differs from that of phage M13 by 52 nucleotide changes, which lead to 5 amino acid substitutions in the corresponding proteins of the two phages, and from phage fd DNA by 186 nucleotide changes (including the single-nucleotide deletion), which lead to 12 amino acid differences between the proteins of phages f1 and fd. More than one-half of the nucleotide changes in each case are found in the sequence of 1,786 nucleotides comprising gene IV and the major intergenic region between gene IV and gene II. The sequence of this intergenic region (nucleotides 5501 to 6005) of phage f1 differs from the sequence reported by others through the inclusion of additional single nucleotides in eight positions and of a run of 13 nucleotides between positions 5885 and 5897, a point of uncertainty in the earlier published sequence. The differences between the sequence of bacteriophage f1 DNA now presented and a complete sequence for the DNA previously published by others are discussed, and the f1 DNA sequence is compared with those of bacteriophages M13 and fd.

Gene II of phage f1: its functions and its products

Plasmids harboring the amino-terminal part of bacteriophage f1 gene II confer to bacterial cells partial resistance to infection with the male-specific bacteriophages f1 and f2. This effect (IP-2 phenotype) is due to the production of large amounts of an approximately 20,000-dalton polypeptide corresponding to the amino-terminal part of gene II protein. These results have allowed the isolation of clones producing functional gene II protein in large amounts. An in vitro assay has been developed to test the enzymatic activity of the gene II protein produced.

Nucleotide sequence of the filamentous bacteriophage M13 DNA genome: comparison with phage fd

The 6407 nucleotide-long sequence of bacteriophage M13 DNA has been determined using both the chemical degradation and chain-termination methods of DNA sequencing. This sequence has been compared with that of the closely related bacteriophage fd (Beck et al., 1978). M13 DNA appears to be only a single nucleotide shorter than fd DNA. There is an average of 3.0% of nucleotide-sequence differences between the two genomes, but the distribution of these changes is not random; the sequence of some genes is more conserved than of others. In contrast, the nucleotide sequences and positions of the regulatory elements involved in transcription, translation and replication appear to be identical in both filamentous phage DNA genomes.

Nuclear magnetic resonance of the filamentous bacteriophage fd

The filamentous bacteriophage fd and its major coat protein are being studied by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. 31P NMR shows that the chemical shielding tensor of the DNA phosphates of fd in solution is only slightly reduced in magnitude by motional averaging, indicating that DNA-protein interactions substantially immobilize the DNA packaged in the virus. There is no evidence of chemical interactions between the DNA backbone and the coat protein, since experiments on solid virus show the 31P resonances to have the same principle elements of its chemical shielding tensor as DNA. 1H and 13C NMR spectra of fd virus in solution indicate that the coat proteins are held rigidly in the structure except for some aliphatic side chains that undergo relatively rapid rotations. The presence of limited mobility in the viral coat proteins is substantiated by finding large quadrupole splittings in 2H NMR of deuterium labeled virions. The structure of the coat protein in a lipid environment differs significantly from that found for the assembled virus. Data from 1H and 13C NMR chemical shifts, amide proton exchange rates, and 13C relaxation measurements show that the coat protein in sodium dodecyl sulfate micelles has a native folded structure that varies from that of a typical globular protein or the coat protein in the virus by having a partially flexible backbone and some rapidly rotating aromatic rings.

Origin of DNA replication of bacteriophage f1 as the signal for termination

Restriction fragments that contain the origin of DNA replication of bacteriophage f1 were inserted in vitro into circular f1 DNA molecules to form genomes that contain two origins. This DNA was used to transfect Escherichia coli. Analyses of the DNA of the progeny phage indicated that one origin and the DNA segment located between the two origins in the infecting DNA molecules had been eliminated. This result is interpreted to mean that the nucleotide sequence of the origin for plus (viral)-strand synthesis also serves as the signal for the termination of DNA synthesis.

NMR studies of the interaction of gene-V protein of bacteriophage M13 with oligonucleotides

This paper describes the preparation of deuterated phenylalanine ([2H7]-phenylalanine) and the isolation of phage M13 encoded gene-V protein in which this deuterated amino acid was incorporated. Using this protein spectral assignments of resonances in the aromatic region of the 1H-NMR spectrum of the gene-V protein have been made. Furthermore the interaction of the gene-V protein with the tetranucleotide d(pC-G-C-G) and the hexanucleotide d(pC-G-C-G-C-G) was investigated. From the changes in the aromatic region of the NMR spectrum occurring after binding, it is concluded that at least one phenylalanine and one tyrosine is involved in the interaction with the oligonucleotides via stacking.

Nucleotide sequences in bacteriophage f1 DNA: nucleotide sequence of genes V, VII, and VIII

The sequence of nucleotides comprising genes V, VII, and VIII of bacteriophage f1 was determined. The sequence was found to differ from that of the corresponding region of the related fd genome by eight base substitutions in gene V and one in gene VIII. The structure of gene VII was completely conserved between these two viruses and was identical to that of bacteriophage M13. Both transitions and transversions were found in cases where bases were substituted, but all substitutions were in the third codon position and had no effect on the structure of the corresponding protein product. The gene V protein product could thus be deduced to be identical to that of the corresponding proteins from bacteriophages fd and M13. A potential EcoRII cleavage site was formed by nucleotides 172 to 176 of gene V. Replicative form DNA form DNA from bacteriophage f1 is normally resistant to this enzyme, and evidence is presented to suggest that the sequence was modified through methylation of cytosine 173. The probable locations of other modified nucleotides in the sequence are discussed.

A new filamentous phage cloning vector: fd-tet

We have constructed a hybrid chromosome composed of the genome of wild-type fd (a filamentous, male-specific bacteriophage) and a segment of transposon Tn10 coding for tetracycline resistance but not including the Tn10 insertion sequences. The hybrid phage infects male E. coli, thereby transducing the infected cells to tetracycline resistance. The phage DNA can also be propagated in F- cells after transfection. This new phage, fd-tet, may be used as a cloning vector to produce large quantities of cloned DNA in single-stranded form. Its usefulness has been demonstrated by cloning of a fragment from bacteriophage lambda. Some unexpected sequence alterations have been identified in lambda cloning experiments.

Transcription of bacteriophage M13 DNA: existence of promoters directly preceding genes III, VI, and I

In vitro transcription and coupled transcription-translation studies have been performed with restriction fragments of bacteriophage M13 replicative-form DNA which contain either gene III, gene VI, or gene I. It could be demonstrated that DNA fragments which contain gene III were able to direct the synthesis of gene III protein. Fragments which encompassed genes VI and I gave rise to the synthesis of gene I protein only, whereas gene I-containing fragments were able to direct the synthesis of gene I protein. None of the fragments studied gave rise to a detectable level of gene VI protein, although an RNA transcript of gene VI could readily be obtained during in vitro transcription of the relevant gene VI-containing DNA fragments. From these results we have concluded that the promoters A0.44 and A0.49 are located in front of genes VI and I, respectively, and that gene III is also equipped with a promoter (X0.25). Introduction of a single cleavage within the gene III region does not abolish the expression of genes VI and I in vitro. Hence, the expression of these genes is not solely dependent on the initiation of RNA synthesis at the gene III promoter or on leakage of transcription through the central termination site (T0.25), but is also determined by the initiation frequency of RNA synthesis at their individual promoters.

Expression of bacteriophage M13 dna in vivo. I. Synthesis of phage-specific RNA and protein in minicells

It is demonstrated that after infection of the appropriate minicell-producing strain of Escherichia coli with the filamentous bacteriophage M13, its replicative form DNA is segregated into minicells. Consequently these minicells have acquired the capability to direct the synthesis of phage-specific RNA and protein. Comparision of the electrophoretic mobilities of phage-specific RNA species made in vitro with those made in M13 replicative form DNA harbouring minicells, have indicated that almost all in vitro synthesized G-start RNAs have an equivalent among the in vivo synthesized RNA products. Furthermore it could be demonstrated that in M13 replicative form DNA harbouring minicells the phage-specific proteins encoded by genes III, IV, V and VIII are made. In addition the synthesis of a phage-specific polypeptide (molecular weight approx. 3000) co-migrating with the recently discovered capsid protein (designated C-protein) could be demonstrated. The meaning of these results for the resolution of the regulatory mechanisms operative during the life cycle of this phage will be discussed.

A photo-CIDNP study of the interaction of oligonucleotides with gene-5 protein of bacteriophage M13

It is shown that photo-CIDNP effects (CIDNP, chemically induced dynamic nuclear polarization) can be generated in the 360-MHz proton NMR spectrum of gene-5 protein from bacteriophage M13. This technique is used to determine the number of tyrosyl residues at the surface of the protein and to assign the resonances from the 3,5-ring protons of these residues. The DNA-binding site of the protein is investigated by formation of complexes with oligonucleotides. Complex formation leads to shifting and/or quenching of the photo-CIDNP emission signals of the surface tyrosines, implying that they are involved in DNA-protein interaction. These experiments are complemented by studying the complex formation of Lys-Tyr-Lys to poly(A).

Replication of bacteriophage G13 DNA in dna mutants of Escherichia coli

Host functions required for replication of microvirid phage G13 DNA were investigated in vivo, using thermosensitive dna mutants of Escherichia coli. In dna+ bacteria, conversion of viral single-stranded DNA into double-stranded replicative form (stage I synthesis) was resistant to 150 microgram/ml of chloramphenicol or 200 microgram/ml of rifampicin. Although multiplication of G13 phage was severely inhibited at 42--43 degrees C even in dna+ host, considerable amount of parental replicative form was synthesized at 43 degrees C in dna+, dnaA or dnaE bacteria. In dnaB and dnaG mutants, however, synthesis of parental replicative form was severely inhibited at the restrictive temperature. Interestingly enough, stage I replication of G13 DNA was, unlike that of phiX174, dependent on host dnaC(D) function. Moreover, the stage I synthesis of G13 DNA in dnaZ was thermosensitive in nutrient broth but not in Tris/casamino acids/glucose medium. In contrast with the stage I replication, synthesis of G13 progeny replicative form was remarkably thermosensitive even in dna+ or dnA cells.

Expression of bacteriophage M13 DNA in vivo. Localization of the transcription initiation and termination signal of the mRNA coding for the major capsid protein

During the infection cycle of the filamentous bacteriophage M13 a phage specific RNA species is made which selectively directs in vitro the synthesis of the precursor of the major capsid protein encoded by gene VIII. This RNA is unstable (its mean half-life is 11 min) and is made in amounts representing at least 2% of the newly synthesized RN. Nucleotide sequence analysis have indicated that the synthesis of this RNA species is initiated and terminated at the same promoter (G0.18) and termination signal (T0.25) of the M13 genome as the 8S RNA species made in vitro under the direction of M13 replicative form DNA.

Growth of single-stranded DNA phages in replication mutants of Escherichia coli

Host capacity for growth of single-stranded DNA phages was investigated with several replication mutants of E. coli. In dnaL708, dnam709 and dnaS707 mutants, multiplication of phiK was not restricted even at 42 degree C. In dnaM710 cells, however, growth of phiK was severely effected at 42 degree C but not at 33 degree C. Upon infection of phiK, parental replicative form was synthesized at the restrictive temperature, whereas subsequent step (replication of progeny replicative form) was blocked in the dnaZ strain. Growth of phiX174 and alpha3, as tested by transfection, was also thermosensitive in the dnaM710 mutant but not in the dnaL708, dnaM709 and dnaS707 strains. In contrast with lambda, microvirid phages could grow in E. coli cells bearing the groPC259, groPC756 or seg-2 mutation.