Recombinational hotspot activity of Chi-like sequences.
Chi sites, consisting of the nucleotide octamer 5' G-C-T-G-G-T-G-G 3', stimulate coliphage lambda recombination mediated by the Escherichia coli RecBC recombination pathway. In a sensitive genetic assay using phage lambda crosses, three of four Chi-like sequences tested, namely 5' A-C-T-G-G-T-G-G 3', 5' G-T-T-G-G-T-G-G 3' and 5' G-C-T-A-G-T-G-G 3', had about 6%, 11% and 38% of full Chi activity, respectively. We conclude that certain Chi-like sequences manifest a spectrum of recombinational hotspot activities and may account for RecBC-mediated generalized recombination of lambda lacking Chi sites.
D000483:Alleles; D010582:Bacteriophage lambda / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D004279:DNA, Viral; D009154:Mutation; D011995:Recombination, Genetic
D004279:DNA, Viral