title: Deletion of the essential gene 24 from the bacteriophage T4 genome.
abstract: We deleted the essential gene 24 from the genome of bacteriophage T4. The delta 24 phage is a conditional lethal mutant that can grow only when the host strain supplies the product of gene 24 in trans, or when the phage acquires a functional gene 24 by some type of recombination event. Thus, gene 24 can be used as a selectable marker, for example permitting transposition into the T4 genome and analyses of plasmid-phage recombination [Woodworth and Kreuzer, Mol. Microbiol. 6 (1992) 1289-1296; H.W.E. and K.N.K., manuscript submitted]. We also found that the promoter region of gene 24 allows a low level of autonomous plasmid replication in T4-infected cells, raising the possibility of a previously unrecognized mode of T4 replication initiation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC.
authors.forename: H W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Engman
authors.forename: K N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Kreuzer
mesh_terms: D017122:Bacteriophage T4 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D002213:Capsid / Q000235:genetics; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D017353:Gene Deletion; D005814:Genes, Viral; D015183:Restriction Mapping