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. 1970 Feb;5(2):179–187. doi: 10.1128/jvi.5.2.179-187.1970

Control of Gene Function in Bacteriophage T4

II. Synthesis of Messenger Ribonucleic Acid and Protein After Interrupting Deoxyribonucleic Acid Replication and Glucosylation 1

Walter Sauerbier 1, Alan R Bräutigam 1
PMCID: PMC375984  PMID: 4910356

Abstract

Replication of T4 deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is known to be required for the onset of transcription of late T4 genes. Once late gene transcription has been initiated, DNA replication is no longer required for maintaining synthesis of late or early T4 messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA). Late phage proteins (lysozyme and tail fibers) continue to be produced at constant rates after interrupting T4 DNA synthesis. The ability of the host cell to glucosylate the T4 progeny DNA has no demonstrable influence on the rates at which T4 mRNA and late proteins are synthesized after the interruption of DNA synthesis. To explain the requirement of T4 DNA replication for the onset of late gene transcription, we suggest that T4 DNA in a nascent state is mandatory for the initial late gene transcription, or perhaps for late gene transcription throughout the lytic cycle. T4 DNA in a nascent state could be segregated from the bulk of the replicating DNA, used only as template for RNA synthesis, and prevented from being modified by methylation, glucosylation, or maturation processes. The fact that no, or very little, nonglucosylated T4 DNA is extractable from T4LB3-infected CR63 after arresting DNA synthesis does not rule out this possibility.

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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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