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. 1974 Sep;14(3):620–630. doi: 10.1128/jvi.14.3.620-630.1974

Double-Length, Circular, Single-Stranded DNA from Filamentous Phage

Frances C Wheeler 1,2, Rolf H Benzinger 1,2, Hermann Bujard 1,2
PMCID: PMC355557  PMID: 4604346

Abstract

Wild-type and gene 3 mutant filamentous phage stocks, containing different relative amounts of multiple-length particles, were treated exhaustively with DNase and then were highly purified. The phage DNA was extracted and examined by electron microscopy. In all cases, about 0.03% of the molecules were circular dimers. 3H-labeled phage DNA was separated as to size by sedimentation in a preformed CsCl density gradient. Individual fractions were then examined in the electron microscope, and the percentage of linear and circular monomer and dimer DNAs was determined. A peak of double-length, circular molecules (with the expected sedimentation constant of 38S) was found ahead of the 24S monomer peak. The double-length molecules had been purified 65-fold. As previously found for single-stranded DNA, the contour length of these molecules was strongly dependent upon ionic strength. Possible artifacts were ruled out, and it was shown that the double-length molecules arose from phage particles.

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Selected References

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

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