Synthesis of DNA containing uracil during bacteriophage infection of Bacillus subtilis. Technical progress report, August 1, 1976--October 31, 1977

Technical Report · Fri Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1977

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5277076· OSTI ID:5277076

Price, A. R.

We have studied the biosynthesis of enzymes and nucleotides to understand how the bacteriophages PBS1 and PBS2 can make uracil-containing DNA in a cell which normally makes thymine-containing Bacillus subtilis DNA. Using our newly developed chromatographic system, we have discovered dUTP in infected cells (the first demonstration ever of this compound in vivo). Labelling studies in mutant cells proved that dUTP was derived from phage-induced dCTP deamination as well as ribonucleotide reduction. We also discovered two dTMP synthetases in B. subtilis, both of which remain active after PBS1 phage infection (although dTTP disappears from infected cells). The purified PBS2-induced DNA polymerase has been characterized physically and kinetically; it has similar affinities for uracil- and thymine-containing DNAs and triphosphates as substrates.

• Research Organization: Michigan Univ., Ann Arbor (USA). Dept. of Biological Chemistry
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• OSTI ID: 5277076
• Report Number(s): COO-2101-32
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550200* -- Biochemistry
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
AZINES
BACILLUS
BACILLUS SUBTILIS
BACTERIA
BACTERIOPHAGES
BIOCHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS
BIOSYNTHESIS
DNA
ENZYMES
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
INFECTIVITY
KINETICS
MICROORGANISMS
NUCLEIC ACIDS
NUCLEOTIDES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
PARASITES
POLYMERASES
PYRIMIDINES
REACTION KINETICS
SYNTHESIS
THYMINE
URACILS
VIRUSES