Frameshift mutations in the bacteriophage Mu repressor gene can confer a trans-dominant virulent phenotype to the phage

V. Geuskens (1) , J.L. Vogel (2) , R. Grimaud (3, 1, 4) , L. Desmet (1) , N.P. Higgins (2) , A. Toussaint (1)

1 ULB - Université libre de Bruxelles
2 UAB - University of Alabama at Birmingham [ Birmingham]
3 NCI-NIH - National Cancer Institute [Bethesda]
4 IPREM - Institut des sciences analytiques et de physico-chimie pour l'environnement et les materiaux

Virulent mutations in the bacteriophage Mu repressor gene were isolated and characterized. Recombination and DNA sequence analysis have revealed that virulence is due to unusual frameshift mutations which change several C-terminal amino acids. The vir mutations are in the same repressor region as the sts amber mutations which, by eliminating several C-terminal amino acids, suppress thermosensitivity of repressor binding to the operators by its N-terminal domain (J. L. Vogel, N. P. Higgins, L. Desmet, V. Geuskens, and A. Toussaint, unpublished data). Vir repressors bind Mu operators very poorly. Thus the Mu repressor C terminus, either by itself or in conjunction with other phage or host proteins, tunes the DNA-binding properties at the repressor N terminus.

Domaines: Microbiologie et Parasitologie

V. Geuskens, J.L. Vogel, R. Grimaud, L. Desmet, N.P. Higgins, et al.. Frameshift mutations in the bacteriophage Mu repressor gene can confer a trans-dominant virulent phenotype to the phage. Journal of Bacteriology, 1991, 173 (20), pp.6578-6585. ⟨10.1128/jb.173.20.6578-6585.1991⟩. ⟨hal-01631825⟩