title: A novel nucleoprotein complex at a replication origin.
abstract: The viral protein p6, required for the protein-primed initiation of replication of Bacillus subtilis phage phi 29, forms a nucleoprotein complex at the viral replication origins that shows novel features. Deoxyribonuclease I and hydroxyl radical footprinting data, as well as the induction of positive supercoiling, support a model in which a DNA right-handed superhelix tightly wraps around a multimeric p6 core. The interaction occurs through the DNA minor groove. The activity of p6 not only requires the formation of the complex but also its correct positioning, indicating that the other proteins involved in the initiation of replication recognize, at a precise position, either the p6 core or the DNA conformational change induced by p6.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Biología Molecular (CSIC-UAM), Universidad Autónoma, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Serrano
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salas
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Hermoso
mesh_terms: D001412:Bacillus subtilis; D001435:Bacteriophages / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites; D004261:DNA Replication; D004278:DNA, Superhelical / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D003852:Deoxyribonucleoproteins / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D009841:Oligonucleotides; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: D004278:DNA, Superhelical; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D003852:Deoxyribonucleoproteins; D009841:Oligonucleotides; D014764:Viral Proteins