Two alternative mechanisms for initiation of DNA replication forks in bacteriophage T4: priming by RNA polymerase and by recombination.
We show that bacteriophage T4 has two alternative mechanisms to initiate DNA replication; one dependent on Escherichia coli RNA polymerase (RNA nucleotidyltransferase, EC 2.7.7.6), and one dependent on general recombination. Continued DNA synthesis under recombination-defective conditions was sensitive to rifampin, an inhibitor of RNA polymerase. On the other hand, DNA synthesis accelerated in spite of the present of rifampin if recombination occurred.
D004261:DNA Replication; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / Q000378:metabolism*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000201:enzymology; D008954:Models, Biological; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D013604:T-Phages / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014779:Virus Replication
D004279:DNA, Viral; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases