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Control of gene expression in the temperate coliphage 186. IX. B is the sole phage function needed to activate transcription of the phage late genes
Author(s) -
Dibbens Justin A.,
Egan J. Barry
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
molecular microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.857
H-Index - 247
eISSN - 1365-2958
pISSN - 0950-382X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2958.1992.tb01440.x
Subject(s) - biology , transcription (linguistics) , prophage , coliphage , promoter , gene , lysogenic cycle , bacteriophage , plasmid , rna polymerase , genetics , dna , temperateness , dna replication , microbiology and biotechnology , gene expression , rna , escherichia coli , philosophy , linguistics
Summary Using plasmid clones we have determined that the late control function B is the only phage function that is needed to activate a late promoter of coliphage 186, and we predict that it functions as an auxiliary factor to RNA polymerase in the activation of late transcription. We have also shown that a high concentration of B will activate late transcription from a prophage, and we conclude that replicating DNA is not a template requirement for B to function. The original demonstration of a need for the replication gene A in late transcription can be explained by the fact that replication leads to an increase in B gene dosage, with the consequent increase in B concentration leading to the efficient activation of the late promoters.