Excess production of phage lambda delayed early proteins under conditions supporting high Escherichia coli growth rates.
Bacteriophage lambda is unable to lysogenize Escherichia coli hosts harbouring the rpoA341 mutation due to a drastic reduction in transcription from CII-activated lysogenic promoters (pE, pI and paQ). In addition, the level of early transcripts involved in the lytic pathway of lambda development is also decreased in this genetic background due to impaired N-dependent antitermination. Here, it is demonstrated that despite the reduced level of early lytic pL- and pR-derived transcripts, lytic growth of bacteriophage lambda is not affected in rich media. The level of the late lytic, pR-derived transcripts also remains unaffected by the rpoA341 mutation under these conditions. However, it was found that whilst there is no significant difference in the phage burst size in rpoA+ and rpoA341 hosts growing in rich media, phage lambda is not able to produce progeny in the rpoA341 mutant growing in minimal medium, in contrast to otherwise isogenic rpoA+ bacteria. Provision of an excess of the phage replication proteins O and P in trans or overproduction of the antitermination protein N restore the ability of phage lambda to produce progeny in the rpoA341 mutant under the latter conditions. These results suggest that in rich media phage lambda produces some early proteins in excess of that needed for its effective propagation and indicate that replication proteins may be limiting factors for phage lytic growth in poor media.
Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Department of Molecular Biology, University of GdańskKładki 24, 80-822 GdańskPoland.
Magdalena
M
Gabig
Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Department of Molecular Biology, University of GdańskKładki 24, 80-822 GdańskPoland.
Michal
M
Obuchowski
Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Laboratory of Molecular Biology affiliated to the University of GdańskK&lstroke;adki 24, 80-822 GdańskPoland.
Alicja
A
WeLgrzyn
Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Department of Molecular Biology, University of GdańskKładki 24, 80-822 GdańskPoland.
Agnieszka
A
Szalewska-Palasz
Division of Molecular and Genetic Medicine, University of Sheffield Medical SchoolBeech Hill Road, Sheffield S10 2RXUK.
Mark S
MS
Thomas
Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Department of Molecular Biology, University of GdańskKładki 24, 80-822 GdańskPoland.
Grzegorz
G
WeLgrzyn
D010582:Bacteriophage lambda / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D003470:Culture Media; D004265:DNA Helicases / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000821:virology*; D015967:Gene Expression Regulation, Viral; D005814:Genes, Viral; D008242:Lysogeny; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000096:biosynthesis; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D054334:Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015678:Viral Structural Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D014779:Virus Replication
D003470:Culture Media; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C027812:O protein, Bacteriophage lambda; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014764:Viral Proteins; D054334:Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins; D015678:Viral Structural Proteins; C045264:replication initiator protein; D004265:DNA Helicases