Skip to main content
PMC home page
The Journal of General Physiology logoLink to The Journal of General Physiology
. 1966 Jul 1;49(6):29–57. doi: 10.1085/jgp.49.6.29

The Structure and Function of the DNA from Bacteriophage Lambda

David S Hogness 1
PMCID: PMC2195532  PMID: 5967430

Abstract

The position and orientation of genes in lambda and lambda dg DNA are described. The position of six genes located in the right half of isolated lambda DNA was found to be -(N, i λ)--O-P---Q-R-(right end of DNA), which is their order on the genetic map of the vegetative phage. The order of the three genes of the galactose operon (k, t, and e) located in the left half of lambda dg DNA was found to be (left end of DNA)----k-t-e-, consistent with Campbell's model (5) for the formation of this variant. Gene orientation, defined as the direction of transcription along the DNA, is inferred to be from right to left for the galactose operon in lambda dg DNA. The strand of lambda DNA which functions as template in transcription of N, an "early" gene required for normal replication of lambda DNA, was determined as a first step in ascertaining the orientation of this gene. The method includes isolation of each strand, formation of each of two heteroduplex molecules consisting of one strand from wild-type and one from an N mutant) and comparison of their N activities. The second step, which consists of ascertaining the 5'-to-3' direction of each strand, is discussed, as is a determination of the orientation of gene R.

Full Text

The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (1.6 MB).

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. ADLER J., KAISER A. D. Mapping of the galactose genes of Escherichia coli by transduction with phage P1. Virology. 1963 Feb;19:117–126. doi: 10.1016/0042-6822(63)90001-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. ADLER J., TEMPLETON B. THE AMOUNT OF GALACTOSE GENETIC MATERIAL IN LAMBDA-DG BACTERIOPHAGE WITH DIFFERENT DENSITIES. J Mol Biol. 1963 Dec;7:710–720. doi: 10.1016/s0022-2836(63)80118-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Amati P, Meselson M. Localized Negative Interference in Bacteriophage. Genetics. 1965 Mar;51(3):369–379. doi: 10.1093/genetics/51.3.369. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. BASSEL A., HAYASHI M., SPIEGELMAN S. THE ENZYMATIC SYNTHESIS OF A CIRCULAR DNA-RNA HYBRID. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1964 Sep;52:796–804. doi: 10.1073/pnas.52.3.796. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. BROOKS K. STUDIES IN THE PHYSIOLOGICAL GENETICS OF SOME SUPPRESSOR-SENSITIVE MUTANTS OF BACTERIOPHAGE LAMBDA. Virology. 1965 Jul;26:489–499. doi: 10.1016/0042-6822(65)90011-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. BROWN A., ARBER W. TEMPERATURE-SENSITIVE MUTANTS OF COLIPHAGE LAMBDA. Virology. 1964 Oct;24:237–239. doi: 10.1016/0042-6822(64)90114-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. BUTTIN G. M'ECANISMES R'EGULATEURS DANS LA BIOSYNTH'ESE DES ENZYMES DU M'ETABOLISME DU GALACTOSE CHEZ ESCHERICHIA COLI K12. II. LE D'ETERMINISME G'EN'ETIQUE DE LA R'EGULATION. J Mol Biol. 1963 Aug;7:183–205. doi: 10.1016/s0022-2836(63)80045-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Bremer H., Konrad M. W., Gaines K., Stent G. S. Direction of chain growth in enzymic RNA synthesis. J Mol Biol. 1965 Sep;13(2):540–553. doi: 10.1016/s0022-2836(65)80116-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. CAMPBELL A. Distribution of genetic types of transducing lambda phages. Genetics. 1963 Mar;48:409–421. doi: 10.1093/genetics/48.3.409. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. CARO L. G. THE MOLECULAR WEIGHT OF LAMBDA DNA. Virology. 1965 Feb;25:226–236. doi: 10.1016/0042-6822(65)90201-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. CHAMBERLIN M., BERG P. Deoxyribo ucleic acid-directed synthesis of ribonucleic acid by an enzyme from Escherichia coli. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1962 Jan 15;48:81–94. doi: 10.1073/pnas.48.1.81. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Chamberlin M. J. Comparative properties of DNA, RNA, and hybrid homopolymer pairs. Fed Proc. 1965 Nov-Dec;24(6):1446–1457. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Del Campillo-Campbell A., Campbell A. Endolysin from mutants of bacteriophage lambda. Biochem Z. 1965 Aug 19;342(4):485–491. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. HAYASHI M., HAYASHI M. N., SPIEGELMAN S. DNA CIRCULARITY AND THE MECHANISM OF STRAND SELECTION IN THE GENERATION OF GENETIC MESSAGES. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1964 Feb;51:351–359. doi: 10.1073/pnas.51.2.351. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. HERSHEY A. D., BURGI E. COMPLEMENTARY STRUCTURE OF INTERACTING SITES AT THE ENDS OF LAMBDA DNA MOLECULES. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1965 Feb;53:325–328. doi: 10.1073/pnas.53.2.325. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. HOGNESS D. S., SIMMONS J. R. BREAKAGE OF LAMBDA-DG DNA: CHEMICAL AND GENETIC CHARACTERIZATION OF EACH ISOLATED HALF-MOLECULE. J Mol Biol. 1964 Aug;9:411–438. doi: 10.1016/s0022-2836(64)80217-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Hershey A. D., Burgi E., Ingraham L. COHESION OF DNA MOLECULES ISOLATED FROM PHAGE LAMBDA. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1963 May;49(5):748–755. doi: 10.1073/pnas.49.5.748. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. INMAN R. B., SCHILDKRAUT C. L., KORNBERG A. ENZYMIC SYNTHESIS OF DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC ACID. XX. ELECTRON MICROSCOPY OF PRODUCTS PRIMED BY NATIVE TEMPLATES. J Mol Biol. 1965 Feb;11:285–292. doi: 10.1016/s0022-2836(65)80058-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Imamoto F., Morikawa N., Sato K., Mishima S., Nishimura T. On the transcription of the tryptophan operon in Escherichia coli. II. Production of the specific messenger RNA. J Mol Biol. 1965 Aug;13(1):157–168. doi: 10.1016/s0022-2836(65)80086-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Imamoto F., Morikawa N., Sato K. On the transcription of the tryptophan operon in Escherichia coli. 3. Multicistronic messenger RNA and polarity for transcription. J Mol Biol. 1965 Aug;13(1):169–182. doi: 10.1016/s0022-2836(65)80087-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Ito J., Crawford I. P. Regulation of the enzymes of the tryptophan pathway in Escherichia coli. Genetics. 1965 Dec;52(6):1303–1316. doi: 10.1093/genetics/52.6.1303. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. JORDAN E. THE LOCATION OF THE B2 DELETION OF BACTERIOPHAGE LAMBDA. J Mol Biol. 1964 Nov;10:341–344. doi: 10.1016/s0022-2836(64)80052-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. KAISER A. D. A genetic study of the temperate coliphage. Virology. 1955 Nov;1(4):424–443. doi: 10.1016/0042-6822(55)90036-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. KAISER A. D., HOGNESS D. S. The transformation of Escherichia coli with deoxyribonucleic acid isolated from bacteriophage lambda-dg. J Mol Biol. 1960 Dec;2:392–415. doi: 10.1016/s0022-2836(60)80050-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. KAISER A. D., JACOB F. Recombination between related temperate bacteriophages and the genetic control of immunity and prophage localization. Virology. 1957 Dec;4(3):509–521. doi: 10.1016/0042-6822(57)90083-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Kaiser A. D., Inman R. B. Cohesion and the biological activity of bacteriophage lambda DNA. J Mol Biol. 1965 Aug;13(1):78–91. doi: 10.1016/s0022-2836(65)80081-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. LEHMAN I. R., NUSSBAUM A. L. THE DEOXYRIBONUCLEASES OF ESCHERICHIA COLI. V. ON THE SPECIFICITY OF EXONUCLEASE I (PHOSPHODIESTERASE). J Biol Chem. 1964 Aug;239:2628–2636. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. MACHATTIE L. A., THOMAS C. A., Jr DNA FROM BACTERIOPHAGE LAMBDA: MOLECULAR LENGTH AND CONFORMATION. Science. 1964 May 29;144(3622):1142–1144. doi: 10.1126/science.144.3622.1142. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. MARTIN R. G., AMES B. N. A method for determining the sedimentation behavior of enzymes: application to protein mixtures. J Biol Chem. 1961 May;236:1372–1379. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. MATSUSHIRO A., SATO K., ITO J., KIDA S., IMAMOTO F. ON THE TRANSCRIPTION OF THE TRYTOPHAN OPERON IN ESCHERICHIA COLI. I. THE TRYPTOPHAN OPERATOR. J Mol Biol. 1965 Jan;11:54–63. doi: 10.1016/s0022-2836(65)80170-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  31. Morse M. L. PRELIMINARY GENETIC MAP OF SEVENTEEN GALACTOSE MUTATIONS IN E. COLI K-12. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1962 Aug;48(8):1314–1318. doi: 10.1073/pnas.48.8.1314. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  32. NAUGHTON M. A., DINTZIS H. M. Sequential biosynthesis of the peptide chains of hemoglobin. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1962 Oct 15;48:1822–1830. doi: 10.1073/pnas.48.10.1822. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  33. Nishimura S., Jones D. S., Khorana H. G. Studies on polynucleotides. 48. The in vitro synthesis of a co-polypeptide containing two amino acids in alternating sequence dependent upon a DNA-like polymer containing two nucleotides in alternating sequence. J Mol Biol. 1965 Aug;13(1):302–324. doi: 10.1016/s0022-2836(65)80098-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  34. PETTIJOHN D., HANAWALT P. EVIDENCE FOR REPAIR-REPLICATION OF ULTRAVIOLET DAMAGED DNA IN BACTERIA. J Mol Biol. 1964 Aug;9:395–410. doi: 10.1016/s0022-2836(64)80216-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  35. RADDING C. M., KAISER A. D. GENE TRANSFER BY BROKEN MOLECULES OF LAMBDA-DNA: ACTIVITY OF THE LEFT HALF-MOLECULE. J Mol Biol. 1963 Sep;7:225–233. doi: 10.1016/s0022-2836(63)80002-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  36. Rothman J. L. Transduction studies on the relation between prophage and host chromosome. J Mol Biol. 1965 Jul;12(3):892–912. doi: 10.1016/s0022-2836(65)80336-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  37. SOMERVILLE R. L., YANOFSKY C. STUDIES ON THE REGULATION OF TRYPTOPHAN BIOSYNTHESIS IN ESCHERICHIA COLI. J Mol Biol. 1965 Apr;11:747–759. doi: 10.1016/s0022-2836(65)80032-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  38. STRACK H. B., KAISER A. D. ON THE STRUCTURE OF THE ENDS OF LAMBADA DNA. J Mol Biol. 1965 May;12:36–49. doi: 10.1016/s0022-2836(65)80280-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  39. STUDIER F. W. SEDIMENTATION STUDIES OF THE SIZE AND SHAPE OF DNA. J Mol Biol. 1965 Feb;11:373–390. doi: 10.1016/s0022-2836(65)80064-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  40. Salas M., Smith M. A., Stanley W. M., Jr, Wahba A. J., Ochoa S. Direction of reading of the genetic message. J Biol Chem. 1965 Oct;240(10):3988–3995. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  41. TOCCHINI-VALENTINI G. P., STODOLSKY M., AURISICCHIO A., SARNAT M., GRAZIOSI F., WEISS S. B., GEIDUSCHEK E. P. ON THE ASYMMETRY OF RNA SYNTHESIS IN VIVO. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1963 Nov;50:935–942. doi: 10.1073/pnas.50.5.935. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  42. Thach R. E., Cecere M. A., Sundararajan T. A., Doty P. The polarity of messenger translation in protein synthesis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1965 Oct;54(4):1167–1173. doi: 10.1073/pnas.54.4.1167. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  43. WARNER R. C., SAMUELS H. H., ABBOTT M. T., KRAKOW J. S. Ribonucleic acid polymerase of Azotobacter vinelandii, II. Formation of DNA-RNA hybrids with single-stranded DNA as primer. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1963 Apr;49:533–538. doi: 10.1073/pnas.49.4.533. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  44. YANOFSKY C., CARLTON B. C., GUEST J. R., HELINSKI D. R., HENNING U. ON THE COLINEARITY OF GENE STRUCTURE AND PROTEIN STRUCTURE. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1964 Feb;51:266–272. doi: 10.1073/pnas.51.2.266. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from The Journal of General Physiology are provided here courtesy of The Rockefeller University Press

RESOURCES