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Properties of Bacteriophage T4 Mutants Defective in Gene 30 (Deoxyribonucleic Acid Ligase) and the rII Gene

1971; American Society for Microbiology; Volume: 7; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1128/jvi.7.2.260-266.1971

1098-5514

J. D. Karam, B. E. Barker,

RNA and protein synthesis mechanisms

In Escherichia coli K-12 strains infected with phage T4 which is defective in gene 30 [deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) ligase] and in the rII gene (product unknown), near normal levels of DNA and viable phage were produced. Growth of such T4 ligase-rII double mutants was less efficient in E. coli B strains which show the “rapidlysis” phenotype of rII mutations. In pulse-chase experiments coupled with temperature shifts and with inhibition of DNA synthesis, it was observed that DNA synthesized by gene 30-defective phage is more susceptible to breakdown in vivo when the phage is carrying a wild-type rII gene. Breakdown was delayed or inhibited by continued DNA synthesis. Mutations of the rII gene decreased but did not completely abolish the breakdown. T4 ligase-rII double mutants had normal sensitivity to ultraviolet irradiation.