Abstract
GENE A of the single-stranded DNA bacteriophage φX174 has a key position in the replication of the first double-stranded replicative form (parental RF) to progeny RF DNA molecules. The action of gene A manifests itself in the introduction of a nick in the viral strand of the parental RF (ref. 1), which seems to be a condition for the RF DNA replication. The nick is located within gene A (ref. 2) and is achieved by a cis-acting gene product3,4. It has been shown that gene A codes for two overlapping proteins, A and A′ (molecular weights 35,000 and 60–65,000, respectively)5,6. The molecular weight of the large protein corresponds to the size of gene A as determined using restriction enzyme fragments7. The large A protein may be involved in achieving the nick8, the small A protein in the shut-off of the host DNA replication9. We present here genetic evidence that gene A consists of three different regions. Two of them are involved in double-stranded DNA replication. They are physically separated by a third region, characterised by mutations that leave double-stranded DNA synthesis unaffected.
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BORRIAS, W., WEISBEEK, P. & VAN ARKEL, G. An intracistronic region of gene A of bacteriophage φX174 not involved in progeny RF DNA synthesis. Nature 261, 245–248 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1038/261245a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/261245a0
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