Open AccessVisualization of a novel junction in bacteriophage lambda DNA.
Author(s) -
Manuel S. Valenzuela,
Ross B. Inman
Publication year - 1975
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.011
H-Index - 771
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.72.8.3024
Subject(s) - bacteriophage , lambda , dna , escherichia coli , branch migration , lysis , biology , homologous recombination , recombination , holliday junction , denaturation (fissile materials) , lambda phage , biophysics , homologous chromosome , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics , chemistry , physics , gene , optics , nuclear chemistry
At early times after infection of a recA derivative of Escherichia coli with lambdab221c126red270a42 phage, a low but significant proportion of intracellular lambda molecules show a novel junction. These junctions are also present, although in reduced numbers, in a lysate obtained at late times after infection of a recA+ host with lambdacIIcIII phage. Fine structure and denaturation mapping analyses showed that these junctions occur at homologous positions and that they are compatible with the occurrence of a cross-strand exchange between lambda DNA duplexes similar to the type proposed in most molecular models for genetic recombination. However, the results are also consistent with the structures expected if a replicating growing point undergoes branch migration.