title: Dissociation by chelating agents and substructure of the thermophilic bacteriophage TP84.
abstract: The thermophilic bacteriophage TP84 is dissociated into its head, tail, and released deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) by chelating agents such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and phosphate. The phage is more sensitive to EDTA than to phosphate, and dialysis against either agent causes more effective dissociation than standing in their presence. The tail possesses a knobbed structure which is inserted into the head of the intact phage and to which the DNA appears to be attached. The method of dissociating TP84 described in this paper provides a source of undamaged structural components and intact strands of DNA for subsequent investigations. A possible mechanism of chelate inactivation is discussed.
mesh_terms: D000085:Acetates; D001407:Bacillus; D001435:Bacteriophages / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D002021:Buffers; D002614:Chelating Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004279:DNA, Viral; D003956:Dialysis; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D004492:Edetic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006358:Hot Temperature; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D010087:Oxides; D010710:Phosphates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010772:Phosphotungstic Acid; D012964:Sodium; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D014501:Uranium; D014764:Viral Proteins; D014776:Virus Cultivation
chemical_list: D000085:Acetates; D002021:Buffers; D002614:Chelating Agents; D004279:DNA, Viral; D010087:Oxides; D010710:Phosphates; D014764:Viral Proteins; D010772:Phosphotungstic Acid; D014501:Uranium; D004492:Edetic Acid; D012964:Sodium