Skip to main content
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America logoLink to Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
. 1975 May;72(5):1973–1976. doi: 10.1073/pnas.72.5.1973

Proposed mechanism of bacteriophage lambda induction: acquisition of binding sites for lambda repressor by DNA of the host.

R Sussman, H B Zeev
PMCID: PMC432671  PMID: 1098048

Abstract

Interference with the in vitro binding of lambda phage repressor to lambda operator DNA was observed when Escherichia coli DNA containing the following lesions was present in the reaction mixture: (a) DNA with single-strand breaks from pancreatic DNase (nicked DNA); (B) DNA isolated from thymine-straved cells; (c) DNA from ultraviolet-treated cells; (d) DNA of mitomycin-treated cells; and (e) DNA from a temperature-sensitive ligase mutant after 1 hr at 42 degrees. Normal E. coli DNA did not interfere. Binding of lambda cIing-minus repressor to operator DNA was not affected by E. coli DNA with lesions. DNAs from cells treated with increasing doses of mitomycin were proportionately more effective in competition for repressor, suggesting increasing binding sites per unit of DNA. A general model of virus induction is proposed, based on binding affinity of ultraviolet-sensitive repressors for single-strand breaks in the host DNA. The model is extended also to the presumptive repressor of cell division.

Full text

PDF
1973

Selected References

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

  1. Borek E., Ryan A. THE TRANSFER OF IRRADIATION-ELICITED INDUCTION IN A LYSOGENIC ORGANISM. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1958 May;44(5):374–377. doi: 10.1073/pnas.44.5.374. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Bryson V. The Effects of Nitrogen Mustard on Escherichia coli. J Bacteriol. 1948 Oct;56(4):423–433. doi: 10.1128/jb.56.4.423-433.1948. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Clark A. J. The beginning of a genetic analysis of recombination proficiency. J Cell Physiol. 1967 Oct;70(2 Suppl):165–180. doi: 10.1002/jcp.1040700412. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Cohen S. S., Barner H. D. STUDIES ON UNBALANCED GROWTH IN ESCHERICHIA COLI. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1954 Oct;40(10):885–893. doi: 10.1073/pnas.40.10.885. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Echols H., Green L. Establishment and maintenance of repression by bacteriophage lambda: the role of the cI, cII, and c3 proteins. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1971 Sep;68(9):2190–2194. doi: 10.1073/pnas.68.9.2190. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Echols H., Pilarski L., Xcheng P. Y. In vitro repression of phage lambda DNA transcription by a partially purified repressor from lysogenic cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1968 Mar;59(3):1016–1023. doi: 10.1073/pnas.59.3.1016. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Freifelder D., Katz G. Persistence of small fragments of newly synthesized DNA in bacteria following thymidine starvation. J Mol Biol. 1971 Apr 28;57(2):351–354. doi: 10.1016/0022-2836(71)90351-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Freifelder D. Single-strand breaks in bacterial DNA associated with thymine starvation. J Mol Biol. 1969 Oct 14;45(1):1–7. doi: 10.1016/0022-2836(69)90205-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Gottesman M. M., Hicks M. L., Gellert M. Genetics and function of DNA ligase in Escherichia coli. J Mol Biol. 1973 Jul 15;77(4):531–547. doi: 10.1016/0022-2836(73)90221-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. JACOB F., SUSSMAN R., MONOD J. [On the nature of the repressor ensuring the immunity of lysogenic bacteria]. C R Hebd Seances Acad Sci. 1962 Jun 13;254:4214–4216. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. KORN D., WEISSBACH A. Thymineless induction in Escherichia coli K12 (lambda). Biochim Biophys Acta. 1962 Nov 26;61:775–790. doi: 10.1016/0926-6550(62)90060-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Kanter M. A., Harriman P. D. Induction of lambda prophage by gamma-irradiated and 32P-treated P1. Virology. 1974 Feb;57(2):574–576. doi: 10.1016/0042-6822(74)90197-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. LIEB M. DARK REPAIR OF UV INDUCTION IN K12 (LAMBDA). Virology. 1964 Jul;23:381–388. doi: 10.1016/0042-6822(64)90260-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. LWOFF A., SIMINOVITCH L., KJELDGAARD N. Induction de la production de bacteriophages chez une bactérie lysogène. Ann Inst Pasteur (Paris) 1950 Dec;79(6):815–859. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Lin S. Y., Riggs A. D. Lac repressor binding to non-operator DNA: detailed studies and a comparison of eequilibrium and rate competition methods. J Mol Biol. 1972 Dec 30;72(3):671–690. doi: 10.1016/0022-2836(72)90184-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. MARCOVICH H., KAPLAN H. S. INDUCTION BY 5-FLUOROURACIL OF BACTERIOPHAGE DEVELOPMENT IN LYSOGENIC E. COLI K12 (LAMBDA). Nature. 1963 Nov 2;200:487–488. doi: 10.1038/200487a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Maniatis T., Ptashne M. Multiple repressor binding at the operators in bacteriophage lambda. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1973 May;70(5):1531–1535. doi: 10.1073/pnas.70.5.1531. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Monk M., Peacey M., Gross J. D. Repair of damage induced by ultraviolet light in DNA polymerase-defective Escherichia coli cells. J Mol Biol. 1971 Jun 14;58(2):623–630. doi: 10.1016/0022-2836(71)90376-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. OTSUJI N., SEKIGUCHI M., IIJIMA T., TAKAGI Y. Induction of phage formation in the lysogenic Escherichia coli K-12 by mitomycin C. Nature. 1959 Oct 3;184(Suppl 14):1079–1080. doi: 10.1038/1841079b0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Ogawa H., Shimada K., Tomizawa J. Studies on radiation-sensitive mutants of E. coli. I. Mutants defective in the repair synthesis. Mol Gen Genet. 1968 May 3;101(3):227–244. doi: 10.1007/BF00271625. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Pauling C., Hanawalt P. Nonconservative DNA replication in bacteria after thymine starvation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1965 Dec;54(6):1728–1735. doi: 10.1073/pnas.54.6.1728. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Ptashne M., Hopkins N. The operators controlled by the lambda phage repressor. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1968 Aug;60(4):1282–1287. doi: 10.1073/pnas.60.4.1282. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Riggs A. D., Suzuki H., Bourgeois S. Lac repressor-operator interaction. I. Equilibrium studies. J Mol Biol. 1970 Feb 28;48(1):67–83. doi: 10.1016/0022-2836(70)90219-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Rupp W. D., Howard-Flanders P. Discontinuities in the DNA synthesized in an excision-defective strain of Escherichia coli following ultraviolet irradiation. J Mol Biol. 1968 Jan 28;31(2):291–304. doi: 10.1016/0022-2836(68)90445-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. SILVER S. D., MOODY E. E., CLOWES R. C. LIMITS ON MATERIAL TRANSFER DURING F+ X F- MATINGS IN ESCHERICHIA COLI K12. J Mol Biol. 1965 May;12:283–286. doi: 10.1016/s0022-2836(65)80300-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. SMITH K. C. Dose dependent decrease in extractability of DNA from bacteria following irradiation with ultraviolet light or with visible light plus dye. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1962 Jul 3;8:157–163. doi: 10.1016/0006-291x(62)90255-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Steinberg R. A., Ptashne M. In vitro repression of RNA synthesis by purified lambda phage repressor. Nat New Biol. 1971 Mar 17;230(11):76–80. doi: 10.1038/newbio230076a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Tomizawa J., Ogawa T. Effect of ultraviolet irradiation on bacteriophage lambda immunity. J Mol Biol. 1967 Jan 28;23(2):247–263. doi: 10.1016/s0022-2836(67)80031-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Weiss B., Live T. R., Richardson C. C. Enzymatic breakage and joining of deoxyribonucleic acid. V. End group labeling and analysis of deoxyribonucleic acid containing single straned breaks. J Biol Chem. 1968 Sep 10;243(17):4530–4542. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. Witkin E. M. Genetics of Resistance to Radiation in ESCHERICHIA COLI. Genetics. 1947 May;32(3):221–248. doi: 10.1093/genetics/32.3.221. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  31. Witkin E. M. The radiation sensitivity of Escherichia coli B: a hypothesis relating filament formation and prophage induction. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1967 May;57(5):1275–1279. doi: 10.1073/pnas.57.5.1275. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  32. Witkin E. M. Thermal enhancement of ultraviolet mutability in a tif-1 uvrA derivative of Escherichia coli B-r: evidence that ultraviolet mutagenesis depends upon an inducible function. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1974 May;71(5):1930–1934. doi: 10.1073/pnas.71.5.1930. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America are provided here courtesy of National Academy of Sciences

RESOURCES