title: Directed changes in the number of double-stranded RNA genomic segments in bacteriophage phi6.
abstract: Bacteriophage Phi6 has a genome of three segments of double-stranded RNA. The segments are designated S, M, and L. Each segment has a unique packaging site, pac, near the 5' end of the plus strand. The plus strands of the segments are normally packaged in the order S, M, L. Chimeras of segment M and S in which segment M is at the 5' end of the plus strand can be stably incorporated into the virion; however, an independent segment S must be included along with normal segment L, even if it contains no active genes. A chimera of segment M and S in which segment S is at the 5' end of the plus strand can be stably incorporated into the virion along with normal segment L to form a two-segment genome. A chimera of segments S, M, and L in which the packaging sequence is that of S can also form a stable nonsegmented genome. These findings are consistent with a model that we have proposed for the packaging of the Phi6 genome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, The Public Health Research Institute, New York, NY 10016, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Onodera
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Qiao
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Qiao
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mindich
mesh_terms: D017126:Bacteriophage phi 6 / Q000235:genetics*; D016679:Genome, Viral; D010957:Plasmids; D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded / Q000235:genetics*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D015183:Restriction Mapping
chemical_list: D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded; D012367:RNA, Viral