Effect of phi X C protein on leading strand DNA synthesis in the phi X174 replication pathway

The influence of the bacteriophage phi X174 (phi X) C protein on the replication of bacteriophage phi X174 DNA has been examined. This small viral protein, which is required for the packaging of phi X DNA into proheads, inhibits leading strand DNA synthesis. The inhibitory effect of the phi X C protein requires a DNA template bearing an intact 30-base pair (bp) phi X origin of DNA replication that is the target site recognized by the phi X A protein. Removal of nucleotides from the 3' end of this 30-bp conserved origin sequence prevents the inhibitory effects of the phi X C protein. Leading strand replication of supercoiled DNA substrates containing the wild-type phi X replication origin results in the production of single-stranded circular DNA as well as the formation of small amounts of multimeric and sigma structures. These aberrant products are formed when the termination and reinitiation steps of the replication pathway reactions are skipped as the replication fork moves through the origin sequence. Replication carried out in the presence of the phi X C protein leads to a marked decrease in these aberrant structures. While the exact mechanism of action of the phi X C protein is not clear, the results presented here suggest that the phi X C protein slows the movement of the replication fork through the 30-bp origin sequence, thereby increasing the fidelity of the termination and reinitiation reactions. In keeping with the requirement for the phi X C protein for efficient packaging of progeny phi X DNA into proheads, the phi X C protein-mediated inhibition of leading strand synthesis is reversed by the addition of proteins essential for phi X bacteriophage formation. Incubation of plasmid DNA substrates bearing mutant 30 base pair phi X origin sequences in the complete packaging system results in the in vitro packaging and production of infectious particles in a manner consistent with the replication activity of the origin under study.     

Studies on the role of the phi X174 gene A protein in phi X174 viral strand synthesis. III. Replication of DNA containing two viral replication origins

Supercoiled plasmid bearing two wild-type phi X origin sequences on the same strand supported the phi X A protein-dependent in vitro formation of two smaller single-stranded circles, the lengths of which were equivalent to the distance between the two origins. Additional double origin plasmids were utilized to determine whether origins defective in the initial nicking event (initiation) could support circularization (termination). In all cases tested, the presence of a mutant origin on the same strand with a wild-type origin affected the level of replication in a manner consistent with the previously determined activity of the mutant origin. When a functional mutant origin was present on the same strand as a wild-type origin, the efficiency of replication and the DNA products formed were almost identical to those of the plasmid containing two wild-type origins. Plasmid DNA bearing both a wild-type origin and a mutant origin that did not support phi X A protein binding or nicking activity, on the other hand, supported efficient DNA synthesis of only full-length circular products, indicating that the origin defective for initiation was incapable of supporting termination. In contrast, the presence of a wild-type origin and an origin that did bind the phi X A protein but was not cleaved resulted in a marked decrease in DNA synthesis along with the production of only full-length products. This suggests that the phi X A protein stalls when it encounters a sequence to which it can bind but cannot cleave. Replication of double origin plasmids containing one functional phi X origin on each strand of the supercoiled DNA was also examined. With such templates, synthesis from the wild-type origin predominated, indicating preferential cleavage of the intact origin sequence. Replication of such substrates also produced a number of aberrant structures, the properties of which suggested that interstrand exchange of the phi X A protein had occurred.     

Studies on the phi X174 gene A protein-mediated termination of leading strand DNA synthesis

Recombinant RF (replicate form) I DNAs containing the bacteriophage phi X174 gene A protein-recognition sequence are cleaved by the phi X A protein yielding a phi X RF II X A protein complex (Zipursky, S.L., Reinberg, D., and Hurwitz, J. (1980) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 77, 5182-5186). Such complexes support DNA synthesis in both RF I leads to SS(c) and RF I leads to RF I phi X DNA replication reactions in vitro. Two phi X A protein-recognition sequences were inserted into plasmid pBR322. Both sequences were contiguous with the same strand of the vector DNA and separated by 667 and 4275 base pairs. This recombinant plasmid (G27-4) was cleaved by the phi X A protein at either insert and both inserts support the initiation of RF leads to SS(c) DNA synthesis. This was verified by the finding that replication products were circular molecules of 667 and 4275 nucleotides. This finding is in keeping with the multifunctional activities associated with the phi X A protein; these include the site-specific nicking of RF I DNA which initiates DNA synthesis and site-specific termination resulting in the circularization of the displaced DNA strand. The phi X A protein and the Escherichia coli rep and SSb proteins catalyze the unwinding of phi X RF I DNA in vitro (Scott, J.F., Eisenberg, S., Bertsch, L.L., and Kornberg, A. (1977) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 74, 193-197). Recombinant plasmid G27-4 RF I DNA was also unwound in vitro by this enzyme system; in this case, both circular and linear single-stranded DNA molecules of 667 and 4275 nucleotides, as well as full length circular single-stranded DNA were formed. Full length linear DNA was not detected. The two single-stranded circular DNA products formed as leading strands in RF leads to SS(c) reaction mixtures containing G27-4 RF I DNA differed in their ability to support lagging strand DNA synthesis. It was shown that the large single-stranded circular product included DNA sequences homologous to a replication factor Y effector sequence required for RF leads to RF and SS(c) leads to RF replication (Zipursky, S.L., and Marians, K.J. (1980) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 77, 6521-6525). The 4275-nucleotide, but not the 667-nucleotide, single-stranded circular DNA product was converted to a duplex structure.     

Analysis of bacteriophage phi X174 gene A protein-mediated termination and reinitiation of phi X DNA synthesis. II. Structural characterization of the covalent phi X A protein-DNA complex

In the preceeding paper (Brown, D. R., Roth, M. J., Reinberg, D., and Hurwitz, J. (1984) J. Biol. Chem. 259, 10545-10555), it was shown that following bacteriophage phi X174 (phi X) DNA synthesis in vitro using purified proteins, the phi X A protein could be detected covalently linked to nascent 32P-labeled DNA. This phi X A protein-[32P]DNA complex was the product of the reinitiation reaction. The phi X A protein-[32P]DNA complex could be trapped as a protein-32P-oligonucleotide complex by the inclusion of ddGTP in reaction mixtures. In this report, the structure of the phi X A protein-32P-oligonucleotide complex has been analyzed. The DNA sequence of the oligonucleotide bound to the phi X A protein has been determined and shown to be homologous to the phi X (+) strand sequence immediately adjacent (3') to the replication origin. The phi X A protein was directly linked to the 5' position of a dAMP residue of the oligonucleotide; this residue corresponded to position 4306 of the phi X DNA sequence. The phi X A protein-32P-oligonucleotide complex was exhaustively digested with either trypsin or proteinase K and the 32P-labeled proteolytic fragments were analyzed. Each protease yielded two different 32P-labeled peptides in approximately equimolar ratios. The two 32P-labeled peptides formed after digestion with trypsin (designated T1 and T2) and with proteinase K (designated PK1 and PK2) were isolated and characterized. Digestion of peptide T1 with proteinase K yielded a product which co-migrated with peptide PK2. In contrast, peptide T2 was unaffected by digestion with proteinase K. These results suggest that the phi X A protein contains two active sites that are each capable of binding covalently to DNA. The peptide-mononucleotide complexes T1-[32P]pdA and T2-[32P]pdA were isolated and subjected to acid hydrolysis in 6.0 N HCl. In each case, the major 32P-labeled products were identified as [32P] phosphotyrosine and [32P]Pi. This indicates that each active site of the phi X A protein participates in a phosphodiester linkage between a tyrosyl moiety of the protein and the 5' position of dAMP.     

Rolling-circle replication of UV-irradiated duplex DNA in the phi X174 replicative-form----single-strand replication system in vitro.

Cloning of the phi X174 viral origin of replication into phage M13mp8 produced an M13-phi X174 chimera, the DNA of which directed efficient replicative-form----single-strand rolling-circle replication in vitro. This replication assay was performed with purified phi X174-encoded gene A protein, Escherichia coli rep helicase, single-stranded DNA-binding protein, and DNA polymerase III holoenzyme. The nicking of replicative-form I (RFI) DNA by gene A protein was essentially unaffected by the presence of UV lesions in the DNA. However, unwinding of UV-irradiated DNA by the rep helicase was inhibited twofold as compared with unwinding of the unirradiated substrate. UV irradiation of the substrate DNA caused a strong inhibition in its ability to direct DNA synthesis. However, even DNA preparations that contained as many as 10 photodimers per molecule still supported the synthesis of progeny full-length single-stranded DNA. The appearance of full-length radiolabeled products implied at least two full rounds of replication, since the first round released the unlabeled plus viral strand of the duplex DNA. Pretreatment of the UV-irradiated DNA substrate with purified pyrimidine dimer endonuclease from Micrococcus luteus, which converted photodimer-containing supercoiled RFI DNA into relaxed, nicked RFII DNA and thus prevented its replication, reduced DNA synthesis by 70%. Analysis of radiolabeled replication products by agarose gel electrophoresis followed by autoradiography revealed that this decrease was due to a reduction in the synthesis of progeny full-length single-stranded DNA. This implies that 70 to 80% of the full-length DNA products produced in this system were synthesized on molecules that carried photodimers. Thus, similarly to its activity on UV-irradiated single-stranded DNA, DNA polymerase III holenzyme can bypass pyrimidine photodimers in the more complex replicative form --->single-strand replication, which involves, in addition to the polymerizing activity, the unwinding of the duplex by the rep helicase and the participation of a more complex multiprotein replisome.     

DNA sequences which support activities of the bacteriophage phi X174 gene A protein

The DNA sequence of 30 nucleotides which surrounds the origin of viral strand DNA replication is highly conserved amongst the icosahedral single-stranded DNA bacteriophages. The A gene of these phages encodes a protein which is required for initiation and termination of viral strand DNA synthesis and acts as a nicking-closing activity specifically within this 30-nucleotide sequence. A system of purified Escherichia coli host proteins and phi X174 gene A protein has been developed which specifically replicates in vitro the viral strand of phi X174 from RF (replicative form) I template DNA and yields single-stranded circular DNA products (RF leads to SS(c) DNA replication system). Recombinant plasmids carrying inserts derived from phage phi X174 or G4 DNA which range in length from 49 to 1175 base pairs and contain the 30-nucleotide conserved sequence have been shown to support phi X A protein-dependent DNA synthesis in vitro in this replication system. We report here that insertion of the 30-nucleotide sequence alone into pBR322 allows the resulting recombinant plasmids to support phi X A protein-dependent in vitro DNA synthesis as efficiently as phi X174 template DNA in the RF leads to SS(c) replication system. The 30-nucleotide sequence functions as a fully wild type DNA replication origin as determined by the rate of DNA synthesis and the structure of resulting DNA products. Furthermore, the DNA sequence requirements for nicking of RF I DNA by the phi X A protein and for supporting replication origin function have been partially separated. Homology to positions 1, 29, and 30 of the 30-nucleotide conserved sequence are not required for cleavage of RF I DNA by the A protein; homology to position 1 but not 29 or 30 is required for efficient DNA replication.     

Process of infection with bacteriophage phi X 174 XXXVIII. Replication of phi chi 174 replicative form in vivo.

The replication of bacteriophage phi X 174 replicative-form DNA has been studied by structural analysis of pulse-labeled replicative-intermediate molecules. Such intermediates were identified by pulse-labeling with [13H]thymidine and separated into four major fractions (A, B, C, and D) in a propidium diiodide-cesium chloride buoyand density gradient. Sedimentation analysis of each of these fractions suggests the following features of phi X replicative-form DNA replication in vivo. (i) At the end of one cycle of replication, one daughter replicative form (RFII) contains a nascent plus (+) strand of the unit viral length, and the other daughter RFII contains small fragments of nascent minus (-) strand. (ii) Asymmetry is also associated with production of the first supercoiled RFI after addition of pulse label in that only the minus strand becomes radioactive. (iii) A supercoiled DNA (RFI') seems to occur in vivo. This DNA is observed at a position of greater density in a propidium diiodide-cesium chloride buoyant density gradient than normal RFI. (iv) A novel DNA component is observed, at a density greater than RFI, which releases, in alkali, a plus strand longer (1.5 to 1.7 times) than the unit viral length. These results are discussed in terms of the possible sequence of events in phi X 174 replicative-form replication in vivo.     

The complete 30-base-pair origin region of bacteriophage phi X174 in a plasmid is both required and sufficient for in vivo rolling-circle DNA replication and packaging

The origin of replication of the isometric single-stranded DNA bacteriophages is located in a specific sequence of 30 nucleotides, the origin region, which is highly conserved in these phage genomes. Plasmids harboring this origin region are subject to rolling-circle DNA replication and packaging of single-stranded (ss) plasmid DNA into phage coats in phi X174 or G4-phage-infected cells. This system was used to study the nucleotide sequence requirements for rolling-circle DNA replication and DNA packaging employing plasmids which contain the first 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 and the complete 30-base-pair (bp) origin region of phi X174. No difference in plasmid ss DNA packaging was observed for plasmids carrying only the 30-bp origin region and plasmids carrying the 30-bp origin region plus surrounding sequences (i.e. plasmids carrying the HaeIII restriction fragment Z6B of phi X174 replicative-form DNA). This indicates that all signals for DNA replication and phage morphogenesis are contained in the 30-bp origin region and that no contribution is made by sequences which immediately surround the origin region in the phi X174 genome. The efficiency of packaging of plasmid ssDNA for plasmids containing deletions in the right part of the origin region decreases drastically when compared with the plasmid containing the complete 30-bp origin region (for a plasmid carrying the first 28 bp of the origin region to approximately 5% and 0.5% in the phi X174 and G4 systems respectively). Previous studies [Fluit, A.C., Baas, P.D., van Boom, J.H., Veeneman, G.H. and Jansz, H.S. (1984) Nucleic Acids Res. 12, 6443--6454] have shown that the presence of the first 27 bp of the origin region is necessary as well as sufficient for cleavage of the viral strand in the origin region by phi X174 gene A protein. Moreover, Brown et al. [Brown, D.R., Schmidt-Glenewinkel, T., Reinberg, D. and Hurwitz, J. (1983) J. Biol. Chem. 258, 8402--8412] have shown that omission of the last 2 bp of the origin region does not interfere with phi X174 rolling-circle DNA replication in vitro. Our results therefore suggest that for optimal phage development in vivo, signals in the origin region are utilized which have not yet been noticed by the in vitro systems for phi X174 phage DNA replication and morphogenesis.     

Cleavage of single-stranded DNA by the A and A* proteins of bacteriophage phi X174.

The purified A protein and A* protein of bacteriophage phi X174 have been tested for endonuclease activity on single stranded viral phi X174 DNA. The A protein (55.000 daltons) nicks single-stranded DNA in the same way and at the same place as it does superhelical RFI DNA, at the origin of DNA replication. The A* protein (37.000 daltons) can cleave the single-stranded viral DNA at many different sites. It has however a strong preference for the origin of replication. Both proteins generate 3'OH ends and blocked 5' termini at the nick site.     

Role of polymeric forms of the bacteriophage phi X174 coded gene A protein in phi XRFI DNA cleavage.

Gene A of the phi X174 genome codes for two proteins, A and A* (Linney, E.A., and Hayashi, M.N. (1973) Nature New Biol. 245, 6-8) of molecular weights 60,000 and 35,000, respectively. The phi X A* protein is formed from a natural internal initiator site within the A gene cistron while the phi X A protein is the product of the entire A gene. These two proteins have been purified to homogeneity as judged by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Previous studies have shown that the phi X A protein is an endonuclease which specifically introduces a discontinuity in the A cistron of the viral strand of supertwisted phi XRFI DNA. In addition to this activity, the phi X A protein also causes relaxation of supertwisted phi XRFI DNA and formation of a phi XRFH DNA . phi X A protein complex which has a discontinuity in the A cistron of the viral strand. This isolatable complex supports DNA synthesis when supplemented with extracts of uninfected Escherichia coli which lack phi X A protein and phi XRFI DNA. The phi XRFII DNA . phi X A protein complex can be attacked by exonuclease III but is not susceptible to attack by E. coli DNA polymerase I, indicating that the 5'-end of the complex is blocked. Attempts to seal the RFII structure generated from the phi XRFII DNA . phi X A protein complex with T4 DNA ligase in the presence or absence of DNA polymerase were unsuccessful. The phi X A protein does not act catalytically in the cleavage of phi XRFI DNA. Under conditions leading to the quantitative cleavage of phi XRFI DNA, the molar ratio of phi XRFI DNA to added phi X A protein was approximately 1:10. At this molar ratio, cross-linking experiments with dimethyl suberimidate yielded 10 distinct protein bands which were multiples of the monomeric phi X A protein. In the absence of DNA or in the presence of inactive DNA (phi XRFII DNA) no distinct protein bands above a trimer were detected. We found it possible in vitro to form a phi XRFII DNA . phi X A protein complex with wild-type phi XRFI DNA (phi X A gene+) and with phi XRFI DNA isolated from E. coli (su+) infected with phage phi X H90 (an am mutant in the phi X A gene). Thus, in vitro, in contrast to in vivo studies, phi X A protein is not a cis acting protein. The purified phi X A* protein does not substitute for the phi X A protein in in vitro replication of phi XRFI DNA nor does it interfere with the action of the phi X A protein which binds only to supertwisted phi XRFI DNA. In contrast, the phi X A* protein binds to all duplex DNA preparations tested. This property prevents nucleases of E. coli from hydrolyzing duplex DNAs to small molecular weight products.     

Construction and characterization of recombinant plasmid DNAs containing sequences of the origin of bacteriophage phi X174 DNA replication

The synthetic DNA fragment (formula, see text) (corresponding to nucleotides 4299-4314 of the phi X DNA sequence) was cloned into either the AmpR gene or the KmR gene of plasmid pACYC 177. The DNA sequence of the KmR gene around the insertion site was determined by nucleotide sequence analysis of the pACYC 177 FnudII restriction DNA fragment N6 (345 b.p.). Of five selected plasmid DNAs, which contained inserted DNA sequences in the antibiotic resistance genes, the nucleotide sequences at and around these insertions were determined. Two recombinant plasmids (pFH 704 and pFH 614) contain the hexadecamer sequence in tandem (tail-to-tail and tail-to-head). In the recombinant plasmids pFH 812, pFH 903 and pFH 807 the DNA sequence homology with the phi X origin region was 14 (No. 4300-4313), 16 (No. 4299-4314) and 20 nucleotides (No. 4299-4318), respectively. None of the supercoiled recombinant plasmid DNAs is nicked upon incubation with phi X gene A protein. Moreover, the recombinant plasmid RFI DNAs cannot act as substitutes for phi X RFI DNA in the in vitro (+) strand synthesizing system. It has been shown earlier that single-stranded DNA, which contains the decamer sequence CAACTTGATA is efficiently nicked by the phi X gene A protein. The present results indicate that for nicking of double-stranded supercoiled DNA nucleotide sequence homology with the phi X origin region of more than 20 nucleotides is required. These results suggest a model for initiation of phi X RF DNA replication, which involves the presence of the recognition sequence CAACTTGATA of the phi X gene A protein as well as a second specific nucleotide sequence which is required for the binding of the phi X gene A protein. This binding causes local unwinding of the DNA double helix and exposure of the recognition sequence in a single-stranded form, which then can be nicked by phi X gene A protein.     

Analysis of bacteriophage phi X174 gene A protein-mediated termination and reinitiation of phi X DNA synthesis. I. Characterization of the termination and reinitiation reactions

The phi X174 (phi X) gene A protein-mediated termination and reinitiation of single-stranded circular (SS(c] phi X viral DNA synthesis in vitro were directly and independently analyzed. Following incubation together with purified DNA replication enzymes from Escherichia coli, ATP, [alpha-32P]dNTPs, and either the phi X A protein and phi X replicative form I (RF I) DNA, or the purified RF II X A complex, the phi X A protein was detected covalently linked to newly synthesized 32P-labeled DNA. Formation of the phi X A protein-[32P]DNA covalent complex required all the factors necessary for phi X (+) SS(c) DNA synthesis in vitro. Thus, it was a product of the reinitiation reaction and an intermediate of the replication cycle. Identification of this complex provided direct evidence that reinitiation of phi X (+) strand DNA synthesis involved regeneration of the RF II X A complex. Substitution of 2',3'-dideoxyguanosine triphosphate (ddGTP) for dGTP in reaction mixtures resulted in the formation of covalent phi X A protein 32P-oligonucleotide complexes; these complexes were trapped analogues of the regenerated RF II X A complex. They could not act catalytically due to the presence of ddGMP residues at the 3'-termini of the oligonucleotide moieties. Reaction mixtures containing ddGTP also yielded nonradioactive (+) SS(c) DNA products derived from circularization of the displaced (+) strand of the input parental template DNA. The formation of the phi X A protein-32P-oligonucleotide complexes and nonradioactive (+) SS(c) DNA were used to assay both reinitiation and termination reactions, respectively. Both reactions required DNA synthesis from the 3'-hydroxyl primer at nucleotide residue 4305 which was formed by cleavage of phi X RF I DNA by the phi X A protein. Elongation of this primer by 18, but not 11 nucleotides was sufficient to support each reaction. Reinitiation reactions proceeded rapidly and were essentially complete after 90 s. In contrast, when ddGTP was replaced with dGTP in reaction mixtures, DNA synthesis proceeded with linear kinetics for up to 10 min. These results suggested that in the presence of all four dNTPs, active templates supported more than 40 rounds of DNA synthesis.     

The role of gene A protein and E. coli rep protein in the replication of phi X 174 replicative form DNA

The gene A protein of bacteriophage phi X 174 initiates replication of super-twisted RFI DNA by cleaving the viral (+) strand at the origin of replication and binding to the 5' end. Upon addition of E. coli rep protein (single-stranded DNA dependent ATPase), E. coli single-stranded DNA binding protein and ATP, complete unwinding of the two strands occurs. Electron microscopic analyses of intermediates in the reaction reveal that the unwinding occurs by movement of the 5' end into the duplex, displacing the viral strand in the form of a single-stranded loop. Since unwinding will not occur in the absence of either gene A protein or rep protein, it is presumed that the rep protein interacts to form a complex with the bound gene A protein. Single-stranded DNA binding protein facilitates the unwinding by binding to the exposed single-stranded DNA. Further addition of the four deoxyribotriphosphates and DNA polymerase III holoenzyme to the reaction results in synthesis of viral (+) single-stranded circles in amounts exceeding that of the input template. A model describing the role of gene A protein and rep protein in duplex DNA replication is presented and other properties of gene A protein discussed.     

Mutational analysis of the bacteriophage phi X174 replication origin

Bacteriophage phi X174 mutants within the 30 base-pair replication origin were constructed using oligodeoxynucleotide-directed mutagenesis. A total of 18 viable base substitution mutants at 13 different positions within the origin region were obtained. The majority of these ori mutants have a plaque morphology and burst size comparable to that of wild-type phi X174. Two phi X174 ori mutants with a reduced growth ability spontaneously acquired additional mutations that enhanced the growth rate. The additional mutation was located at the same site as the original mutation or was located in the N-terminal part of the gene A protein. This latter secondary mutation is responsible for a better binding and/or recognition of the gene A protein to the mutated origin. In a Darwinian experiment wild-type phi X174 outgrows all phi X174 ori mutants, indicating the superiority of the wild-type ori sequence for the reproduction of bacteriophage phi 174. Insertions and deletions were constructed at different positions within the phi X174 replication origin cloned in a plasmid. Small insertions and deletions in the A + T-rich spacer region do not inhibit phi X174 gene A protein cleavage in vitro, but severely impair packaging of single-stranded plasmid DNA in viral coats.     

Initiation and termination of the bacteriophage phi X174 rolling circle DNA replication in vivo: packaging of plasmid single-stranded DNA into bacteriophage phi X174 coats.

The bacteriophage phi X174 viral (+) origin when inserted in a plasmid can interact in vivo with the A protein produced by infecting phi X174 phages. A consequence of this interaction is packaging of single-stranded plasmid DNA into preformed phage coats resulting in infective particles (1). This property was used to study morphogenesis and to analyse the signals for initiation and termination of the rolling circle DNA replication in vivo. It is shown that the size of the DNA had a strong effect on the encapsidation by the phage coats and the infectivity of the particle. Termination was analysed by using plasmids with two phi X (+) origins either in the same orientation or in opposite orientation. Both origins were used with equal frequency. Initiation at one origin resulted in very efficient termination (greater than 96%) at the second origin in the case of two origins in the same orientation. When the two (+) origins have opposite orientations, no correct termination was observed. The second origin in the opposite strand effectively inhibits (greater than 98%) the normal DNA synthesis; i.e. the covalently bound A protein present in the replication fork interacts with the (+) origin sequence in the opposite strand.     

Genes and regulatory sequences of bacteriophage phi X174

Fragments of the DNA of bacteriophage phi X174 were inserted in the plasmids pACYC177 and pBR322, in order to test the in vivo effects of separate phage genes and regulatory sequences. The phi X174 inserts were identified by recombination and complementation with phage mutants, followed by restriction enzyme analysis. The genes B, C, F and G can be maintained stably in the cell even when there is efficient expression of these viral genes. Recombinant plasmids with the complete genes D and E can only be maintained when the expression of these genes is completely blocked. Expression of complete H and J genes could not yet be demonstrated. The intact gene A was apparently lethal for the host cell, as it was never found in the recombinants. The genes F and G are expressed, even when they are not preceded by one of the well characterized viral or plasmid promoter sequences. Screening of the nucleotide sequence of phi X174 gives two promoter-like sequences just in front of the two genes. Viral sequences with replication signals (the phi X174 (+) origin of replication, the initiation site for complementary strand synthesis and the incompatibility sequence) appeared to be functional also when inserted in recombinant plasmids. A plasmid with the phi X (+) origin can be forced to a rolling circle mode of replication. The A protein produced by infecting phages works in trans on the cloned viral origin. The (-) origin can function as initiation signal for complementary strand synthesis during transduction of single-stranded plasmid DNA. The intracellular presence of the incompatibility sequence on a plasmid prevents propagation of infecting phages.     

Rep protein as a helicase in an active, isolatable replication fork of duplex phi X174 DNA

Rep protein as a helicase combines its actions with those of gene A protein and single-stranded DNA binding protein to separate the strands of phi X174 duplex DNA and thereby can generate and advance a replication fork (Scott, J. F., Eisenberg, S., Bertsch, L. L., and Kornberg, A. (1977) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 74, 193-197). Tritium-labeled rep protein is bound in an active gene A protein. phi X174 closed circular duplex supercoiled DNA complex in a 1:1 ratio. Catalytic separation of the strands of the duplex by rep protein, as measured by incorporation of tritium-labeled single-stranded DNA binding protein, requires ATP at a Km value of 8 microM, and hydrolyzes two molecules of ATP for every base pair melted. When coupled to replication in the synthesis of single-strand viral circles, a "looped" rolling-circle intermediate is formed that can be isolated in an active form containing gene A protein, rep protein, single-stranded DNA binding protein, and DNA polymerase III holoenzyme. Unlike the binding of rep protein to single-stranded DNA, where its ATPase activity is distributive, binding to the replicating fork is not affected by ATP, further suggesting a processive action linked to gene A protein. Limited tryptic hydrolysis of rep protein abolishes its replicative activity without affecting significantly its binding of ATP and its ATPase action on single-stranded DNA. These results augment earlier findings by describing the larger role of rep proteins as a helicase, linked in a complex ith other proteins, at the replication fork of a duplex DNA.     

DNA methylation inhibits the transfecting activity of replicative- form phi X174 DNA

Replacement of virtually all the cytosine residues with 5-methylcytosine residues in the complementary strand of the replicative form (RF) of phi X174 DNA caused a 300- to 500-fold loss in its transfecting activity. Similar results were obtained with analogously methylated M13 RF. Transfection experiments with phi X RF hemimethylated in only part of the molecule, as assessed by analysis with restriction endonucleases, indicated that gene A of phi X, which needs to be nicked at a specific site by the gene A protein for RF replication, was not the main target for this inhibition by DNA methylation. We propose that the loss of transfecting activity was due to hemimethylation of the phi X RF interfering with the processively catalyzed movement of the replication fork.     

Studies of the recognition sequence of phi X174 gene A protein. Cleavage site of phi X gene A protein in St-1 RFI DNA.

It is already known that phi X gene A protein converts besides phi X RFI DNA also the RFI DNAs of the single-stranded bacteriophages G4, St-1, alpha 3 and phi K into RFII DNA. We have extended this observations for bacteriophages G14 and U3. Restriction enzyme analysis placed the phi X gene A protein cleavage site in St-1 RF DNA in the HinfI restriction DNA fragment F10 and in the overlapping HaeIII restriction DNA fragment Z7. The exact position and the nucleotide sequence at the 3'-OH end of the nick were determined by DNA sequence analysis of the single-stranded DNA subfragment of the nicked DNA fragment F10 obtained by gelelectrophoresis in denaturing conditions. A stretch of 85 nucleotides of St-1 DNA around the position of the phi X gene A protein cleavage site was established by DNA sequence analysis of the restriction DNA fragment Z7F1. Comparison of this nucleotide sequence with the previously determined nucleotide sequence around the cleavage site of phi X gene A protein in phi X174 RF DNA and G4 RF DNA revealed an identical sequence of only 10 nucleotides. The results suggest that the recognition sequence of the phi X174 gene A protein lies within these 10 nucleotides.     

The nuclease specificity of the bacteriophage phi X174 A* protein.

The A* protein of bacteriophage phi X174 is a single-stranded DNA specific nuclease. It can cleave phi X viral ss DNA in many different places. The position of these sites have been determined within the known phi X174 nucleotide sequence (1). From the sequences at these sites it is clear that the A* protein recognizes and cleaves at sites that show only partial homology with the origin of RF DNA replication in the phi X DNA. Different parts of the origin sequence can be deduced that function as a signal for recognition and cleavage by the A* protein. We conclude that different parts within the DNA recognition domain of the A* protein are functional in the recognition of the origin sequence in single-stranded DNA. The existence of different DNA recognition domains in the A* protein, and therefore also in the A protein, leads to a model that can explain how the A protein performs its multiple function in the phi X174 DNA replication process (2).