title: Structure and function of mutants in the P gene of bacteriophage lambda leading to the pi phenotype.
abstract: The location of 14 independently isolated spontaneous pi A and pi B point mutants in the lambda P gene and their base exchanges were determined. It was found that the pi B mutation is one unique type mapping close to other pi A mutants. The number of possible pi A mutation sites could be estimated. The mutation sites are distributed asymmetrically in the gene. The N-terminal half of the protein is unchanged. It is assumed to be required for the interaction with the lambda O protein. The P protein can be changed by substitution of a limited number of amino acids at the C-terminus. All functional proteins of this type have pi character. pi proteins do not appear to have altered intracellular levels or stabilities as compared to wild-type P protein. The plating characteristics of our mutants on two groP- mutants located in the dnaJ and dnaK genes, respectively, are strikingly different.
mesh_terms: D010582:Bacteriophage lambda / Q000235:genetics*; D004261:DNA Replication; D004262:DNA Restriction Enzymes; D004274:DNA, Recombinant; D005814:Genes, Viral; D009154:Mutation; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D004274:DNA, Recombinant; D014764:Viral Proteins; D004262:DNA Restriction Enzymes