Sequence analysis of the phage 21 genes for prohead assembly and head completion.
Phage 21 is a temperate lambdoid coliphage, and its head-encoding genes, as well as those of phage lambda, are descended from a common ancestral phage. The head protein-encoding genes of phage 21 have been sequenced, confirming earlier genetic studies indicating that the head-encoding genes of 21 and lambda are analogous in location, size, and function. The phage 21 head-encoding genes identified (and their lambda analogues) include: 3(W), 4(B), 5(C), 6(Nu3), shp (D), 7(E), and 8(FII), respectively. An open reading frame, orf1, is analogous in position and shares some sequence identity with FI, a phage lambda gene involved in DNA packaging. The phage 21 major head protein, gp7, is predicted to have strong sequence identity (65%) with the lambda major capsid protein, gpE, including amino acids known to be important for capsid form determination. The nested genes 5/6 of phage 21 and C/Nu3 of lambda differ by several rearrangements including deletions and a triplication. The possibility that lambda genes C/Nu3 evolved from ancestal nested genes containing a triplication is discussed.
Smith
M P
MP
Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City 52245.
Feiss
M
M
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D003090:Coliphages / Q000235:genetics*; D004279:DNA, Viral; D005814:Genes, Viral; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016366:Open Reading Frames; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000235:genetics
D004279:DNA, Viral; D014764:Viral Proteins