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. 1974 Apr;71(4):1549–1553. doi: 10.1073/pnas.71.4.1549

Isolation and Function of the Gene A Initiator of Bacteriophage ϕX 174, A Highly Specific DNA Endonuclease

Timothy J Henry 1,*, Rolf Knippers 1,
PMCID: PMC388268  PMID: 4598307

Abstract

The gene A product of Escherichia coli bacteriophage ϕX 174, necessary for initiation of ϕX DNA synthesis, has been identified and purified to near homogeneity. The gene A protein is shown to be a highly specific DNA endonuclease which breaks one phosphodiester bond in the viral strand of either double-stranded, circular ϕX replicative form I (RFI), or in single-stranded, circular ϕX viral DNA; it is inactive against all other species of DNA tested.

Keywords: cis-acting protein, DNA supercoils, replicative forms of DNA

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Selected References

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