The morphogenesis of bacteriophage φ6: Particles formed by nonsense mutants

Leonard Mindich, Jacqueline Franzese Sinclair, Jeffrey Cohen

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

15 Scopus citations

Abstract

φ6 is a bacteriophage containing a genome of three pieces of double-stranded RNA and an envelope composed of lipids and proteins. The particles formed during infection of a nonsuppressor host by wild-type virus and six classes of nonsense mutants were investigated in this study. Mutants defective in the synthesis of P5 and P1l formed particles with RNA and lipid and all virion proteins but P5 and P11. Mutants defective in the synthesis of P3 made particles with lipid and RNA but also lacked P6. Particles formed by mutants defective in P6 were similar and lacked P3. These particles do not adsorb to host cells, indicating a role for P3 and P6 in attachment. Particles formed by a mutant defective in the synthesis of P9, P5, and P11 contained RNA but no lipid and also lacked P10, P3, and P6, the other membrane proteins. Particles formed by a mutant unable to form P12, a nonstructural protein, also lacked P9, P10, P3, P6, P5, and P11, and contained no lipid. We conclude that the core of the virion can be formed without the membranous exterior and that membrane protein P9 and the nonstructural protein P12 are necessary for the formation of the lipid-containing structure.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)224-231
Number of pages8
JournalVirology
Volume75
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 1976

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Virology

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