title: A protein of bacteriophage phi X174 carries an oligonucleotide which it can transfer to the 3' -OH of a DNA chain.
abstract: The bacteriophage phi X174 gene A encodes two proteins: gene A protein and A* protein. Purified A* protein acts as a single-stranded, DNA-specific endonuclease which remains covalently attached to the 5'-end of the cleavage site. Incubation of A* protein with the synthetic heptamer CAACTTG or with oligonucleotides which yield this heptamer after cleavage with the A* protein yields oligonucleotides with the sequences CAACTTGAG, CAACTTGAGG and CAACTTGAGGA. This indicates that A* protein carries an oligonucleotide with the sequence--AG, -AGG or -AGGA. The oligonucleotide can be transferred to the 3'-end of the heptamer CAACTTG. This suggests that A* protein reacts with a specific DNA sequence in the infected cell.
mesh_terms: D010584:Bacteriophage phi X 174; D001483:Base Sequence; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism*; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D009841:Oligonucleotides / Q000378:metabolism*; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D009841:Oligonucleotides; D014764:Viral Proteins; D004247:DNA