Slow switchover from host RNA synthesis to bacteriophage RNA synthesis after infection of Escherichia coli with a T4 mutant defective in the bacteriophage T4-induced unfolding of the host nucleoid.
Most, if not all, host RNA synthesis was shut off after infection of Escherichia coli strain B/5 with a bacteriophage T4 multiple mutant defective in the abilities to induce (i) unfolding of the host nucleoid (unf-), (ii) nuclear disruption (ndd-), and (iii) host DNA degradation (denA-, denB-). The shutoff of host RNA synthesis and turn-on of phage RNA synthesis were slower after infection of E. coli with unf- phage than after infection with unf+ phage. This delay in the switchover from host RNA synthesis to phage RNA synthesis in unf- infections did not result in a measurable delay in the onset of nuclear disruption, deoxyribonucleoside monophosphate kinase synthesis, or DNA synthesis. unf39 did not complement alc (allows late transcription on cytosine-containing DNA) mutants, supporting the proposal of Sirotkin et al. [Nature (London) 265:28-32, 1977] that alc and unf are possibly the same gene.
D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D003090:Coliphages / Q000235:genetics*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000378:metabolism*; D005814:Genes, Viral; D005816:Genetic Complementation Test; D009154:Mutation; D009703:Nucleoside-Phosphate Kinase / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012367:RNA, Viral; D009703:Nucleoside-Phosphate Kinase