RNA-mediated specificity of DNA packaging into hybrid lambda/phi 29 proheads.

摘要: A small RNA (pRNA, 174 nt) is known to be essential for DNA packaging in bacteriophage phi 29. However, an vitro system based on hybrid lambda/phi 29 proheads (made up of head proteins from phage lambda and connectors 29), the specificity lost, different molecules fulfil requirements packaging, albeit with less efficiency than pRNA. Competition assays RNAs sources have shown that bind preferentially An increase into induced by pRNA observed because, when incubated proheads, packaged more efficiently other DNAs similar length. Furthermore, carrying are a mixture sources, selectively packaged, thus indicating determines packaging.