title: Gene K of bacteriophage phi X174 codes for a protein which affects the burst size of phage production.
abstract: Site-directed mutagenesis has been used to produce a T----A change at nucleotide 70 of phi X174 genome. This generates an am codon, TAG, in the gene K reading frame without affecting the amino acid, leucine, encoded by the overlapping gene A. The gene K mutant produces small plaques on su- hosts. It has an identical latent period, but a more reduced burst size than that of the wild-type phi X174. The reduced burst size in the gene K mutant suggests that the gene K protein, although not essential, has a role in increasing infectivity by increasing the burst size three- to sixfold.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gillam
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Atkinson
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Markham
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D010584:Bacteriophage phi X 174 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D005814:Genes, Viral; D009154:Mutation; D010948:Viral Plaque Assay; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D014764:Viral Proteins