Kinetics of assembly of a parvovirus, minute virus of mice, in synchronized rat brain cells

The rates of assembly of the three classes of particles of minute virus of mice were examined in synchronized rat brain cells by a combination of electron microscopy and biochemical techniques. We observed a burst of virus assembly beginning about 8 h after the end of cellular S phase. Labeled thymidine incorporated into the 1.46 g/cm3 class of full virus particles was transferred almost quantitatively to the 1.42 g/cm3 class. The 1.46 g/cm3 virus appeared to be an immediate precursor to the 1.42 g/cm3 class. Conversion of the 1.46 density virus to the 1.42 density particles was observed at the time of virus assembly. The processing was rapid and occurred primarily in the nucleus. Infected cells did not contain significant pools of viral DNA in a form that could be encapsulated in the absence of DNA synthesis. The role of the empty virus capsids in the assembly process is discussed.     

Partial sequence analysis of Xenopus alpha- and beta-globin mRNA as determined from recombinant DNA plasmids

Recombinant plasmids containing Xenopus globin mRNA sequences have been constructed using the mRNA:cDNA hybrid conditions of Zain et al. (1979, Cell16, 851–861). The partial nucleotide sequence of two of these recombinants has been determined. They have been identified as containing α- and β-globin-like sequences by homology to other amphibian globin proteins. The nucleotide sequence of these recombinants permits the comparison of conserved regions in both the coding and 3′ nontranslated regions of Xenopus globin mRNAs with the known sequences of other eukaryotic globin proteins and mRNAs. Among the features which have been conserved though evolution is the sequence AAUAAA close to the 3′ terminus of the nontranslated region. Extensive regions of homology occur between the 3′ nontranslated regions of Xenopus α- and β-globin mRNA.     

Early Events in Parvovirus Replication: Lack of Integration by Minute Virus of Mice into Host Cell DNA

Viral DNA sequences were not detected in high-molecular-weight host DNA until well after the onset of viral DNA replication.     

Microbodies and glyoxylate-cycle enzyme activities in filamentous fungi

Summary From compartmental analysis of radioisotope elution measurements, concentrations and fluxes of K⁺, Na⁺ and Cl^- were estimated for cortical cells in root segments of onion, Allium cepa L., relative to a complete nutrient solution. The transported fraction of the total efflux was estimated separately. With the Ussing-Teorell flux ratio equation as the criterion, it was concluded that all three ions were actively accumulated from the outside medium into the cytoplasm and that only Na⁺ was actively accumulated into the vacuole. K⁺ and Cl^- moved passively, in both directions across the tonoplast. Failure to account for leakage from the stele via the segment cut ends resulted in an over-estimate of exchange across the tonoplast but did not alter the conclusions qualitatively. The consequences of changing the assumed value of the tonoplast electrical potential (from 0 to+10- mV), and the effects of different experimental procedures, were also assessed, and found not to affect the main conclusions significantly. Separate measurement of ions leaking from the segment ends revealed that Na⁺ was transported almost exclusively in an acropetal direction in the stele. Cl^- appeared at both ends of the segments in similar amounts and K⁺ was transported mainly in the basipetal direction. The implications of these findings for the mechanism and site of ion selectivity are discussed.     

Deoxyribonucleic Acid Polymerase Activity in a Deoxyribonucleic Acid Polymerase I-Deficient Mutant of Bacillus subtilis Infected with Temperate Bacteriophage SPO2

Increased deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) polymerase activity is found in soluble extracts from a polymerase I-negative mutant of Bacillus subtilis after infection with temperate phage SPO2, or after induction of SPO2 prophage in lysogenic derivatives of this mutant. No increased enzyme activity is found after SPO2 infection in the presence of chloramphenicol. Infection of the polymerase-negative mutant with the DNA-negative sus mutant SPO2 L244 gives no increased enzyme activity, whereas infection with DNA-negative sus mutant SPO2 J385 gives enzyme activities comparable to those found in wild-type infected cells. These findings suggest that SPO2 determines a DNA polymerase activity essential for synthesis of phage DNA.     

Mapping of Prophage and Mature Deoxyribonuleic Acid from Temperate Bacillus Bacteriophage φ105 by Marker Rescue

By using temperature-sensitive (ts) and suppressor-sensitive (sus) mutants, 11 essential genes have been identified in phage phi105. The order of the genes has been established in two- and three-factor crosses. The genes can be arranged in a linear order; this order is identical in the vegetative phage and in the prophage. One gene essential for phage deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) synthesis has been found. Marker rescue from prophage and mature DNA, taken up by competent bacteria, was studied by superinfection with phage carrying one sus and one ts mutation. In prophage DNA, all single markers studied are rescued at similar frequencies. The frequency of co-rescue of two markers is proportional to the recombinational distance between the markers. Thus, colinearity between the genetic map and the position on the DNA molecule of those mutations used to establish the map is demonstrated. The results indicate that the recombination frequencies observed in vegetative crosses are a relative measure of the physical distance between markers. All single markers are not rescued at equal frequencies from mature DNA. The frequency of co-rescue of two markers is related to the recombinational distance only over a distance about one-fourth or less of the genetic map. Markers separated by 10% recombination, or more, are co-rescued at 5 to 10% of the frequency of rescue of single markers. Shearing of mature DNA into half-sized molecules reduces the efficiency by which single markers are rescued by a factor of 5 to 10. The results of experiments on co-rescue of two markers from half-sized mature DNA indicate a preferred break-point near the middle of the genetic map; the results are compatible with a nonpermuted sequence in mature DNA. It is pointed out and discussed that mature DNA exhibits several anomalies in marker rescue experiments.     

Low-Frequency Rescue of a Genetic Marker in Deoxyribonucleic Acid from Bacillus Bacteriophage φ105 by Superinfecting Bacteriophage

Markers in gene L, which maps at the right end of the vegetative and prophage maps, are rescued at a strongly reduced frequency from mature 105 deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) by superinfecting phage but at high frequency from vegetative and prophage DNA. It is suggested that the ends of mature DNA are degraded when DNA is taken up by competent cells.     

Structure and Biological Activity of Deoxyribonucleic Acid from Bacillus Bacteriophage φ105: Effects of Escherichia coli Exonucleases

The effects of Escherichia coli exonuclease I, exonuclease III, and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) polymerase on the biological activity of mature DNA from temperate Bacillus bacteriophage phi105 were investigated. Intact DNA loses infectivity rapidly upon exposure to exonuclease III. Although there is an overall decrease in marker rescue from exonuclease III-digested DNA, digestion preferentially affects markers at the end of the genetic map. This is taken to indicate a nonpermuted gene sequence in mature DNA. Incubation of mature DNA in the presence of exonuclease I or DNA polymerase has no effect on its biological activity. The possible structure of the ends of mature phi105 DNA is discussed. The rate of digestion of mature phi105 DNA by exonuclease III is only about 1/20 the rate of lambda DNA. Results of digestion of various DNA substrates by exonuclease III indicate that the enzyme distinguishes between different DNA terminal structures.