A molecular analysis of terminase cuts in headful packaging of Salmonella phage P22 (original) (raw)

Summary

Fragments of DNA molecules of Salmonella phage 22 which represent the molecular termini created by the terminase reaction have been cloned and sequenced. The terminase cleavage separates a headful-sized piece of DNA from the concatemeric precursor; by successful cloning strategy it was shown that the terminase produces blunt ends. The termini of 20 different phage DNA molecules fall into a region located between about 600 and 4000 bp from the pac signal and show a Gaussian distribution. The average terminal redundancy was calculated to be about 2230 by (=5.3%) and is therefore higher than was previously reported. A comparison of the nucleotides flanking the terminal bases of 20 different end clones does not support the suggestion that the terminase recognizes some specific sequence and/or structural information in determining the actual cleavage site.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

• Get 10 units per month
• Download Article/Chapter or eBook
• 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
• Cancel anytime Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

How to take down the terminator

Article Open access 11 September 2024

References

• Backhaus H (1985) DNA packaging initiation of Salmonella bacteriophage P22: Determination of cut sites within the DNA sequence coding for gene 3. J Virol 55:458–465
  Google Scholar
• Biggin M, Gibson T, Hong F (1983) Buffer gradient gels and 35S label as an aid to rapid DNA sequence determination. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 80:3963–3965
  Google Scholar
• Casjens S, Huang W (1982) Initiation of sequential packaging of bacteriophage P22 DNA. J Mol Biol 157:287–298
  Google Scholar
• Casjens S, Huang W, Hayden M, Parr R (1987) Initiation of bacteriophage P22 DNA packaging series. Analysis of a mutant that alters the DNA target specificity of the packaging apparatus. J Mol Biol 194:411–422
  Google Scholar
• Casjens S, Hayden M (1988) Analysis in vivo of the bacteriophage P22 headful nuclease. J Mol Biol 199:467–474
  Google Scholar
• Feiss M (1986) Terminase and the recognition, cutting and packaging of chromosomes. Trends Genet 2:100–104
  Google Scholar
• Jackson EN, Jackson DA, Dean RJ (1978) _Eco_RI analysis of bacteriophage P22 DNA packaging. J Mol Biol 118:365–388
  Google Scholar
• Maniatis T, Fritsch EF, Sambrook J (1982) Molecular cloning: A laboratory manual. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY
  Google Scholar
• Marck C (1988) “DNA Strider”: a “C” program for the fast analysis of DNA and protein sequences on the Apple Macintosh family of computers. Nucleic Acids Res 16:1829–1836
  Google Scholar
• Maxam AM, Gilbert W (1980) Sequencing end-labeled DNA with base-specific chemical cleavages. Methods Enzymol 65:499–560
  Google Scholar
• Norrander J, Kempe T, Messing J (1983) Construction of improved M13 vectors using oligodeoxynucleotide-directed mutagenesis. Gene 26:101–106
  Google Scholar
• Raj AS, Raj AY, Schmieger H (1974) Phage genes involved in the formation of generalized transducing particles in _Salmonella_-phage P22. Mol Gen Genet 135:175–184
  Google Scholar
• Sanger F, Coulson AR, Barrell BG, Smith AJH, Roe BA (1980) Cloning single-stranded bacteriophage as an aid to rapid DNA sequencing. J Mol Biol 143:161–178
  Google Scholar
• Schmieger H (1972) Phage P22 mutants with increased or decreased transduction abilities. Mol Gen Genet 119:75–88
  Google Scholar
• Streisinger G, Emrich J, Stahl MM (1967) Chromosome structure in phage T4. III. Terminal redundancy and length determination. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 57:292–295
  Google Scholar
• Tye B-K, Huberman JA, Botstein D (1974) Non-random circular permutation of phage P22 DNA. J Mol Biol 85:501–532
  Google Scholar
• Vieira J, Messing J (1982) The pUC plasmids, an M13mp7-derived system for insertional mutagenesis and sequencing with synthetic universal primers. Gene 19:269–276
  Google Scholar

Download references

Author information

Author notes

1. Kambiz Mansouri Taleghani
   Present address: PH Darmstadt, Institut für Biochemie, Petersenstr. 22, D-6100, Darmstadt, Germany

Authors and Affiliations

1. Institut für Genetik und Mikrobiologie der Universität München, Maria-Ward-Str. 1a, D-8000, München 19, Germany
   Horst Schmieger, Kambiz Mansouri Taleghani, Anita Meierl & Ludwig Weiß

Authors

1. Horst Schmieger
   You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
2. Kambiz Mansouri Taleghani
   You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
3. Anita Meierl
   You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
4. Ludwig Weiß
   You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Communicated by W. Goebel

Rights and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Schmieger, H., Taleghani, K.M., Meierl, A. et al. A molecular analysis of terminase cuts in headful packaging of Salmonella phage P22.Molec. Gen. Genet. 221, 199–202 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00261721

Download citation

• Received: 02 January 1990
• Issue Date: April 1990
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00261721

Key words