Search

The nrdB gene of bacteriophage T4 codes for the small subunit of ribonucleotide reductase and contains a 598 base pair self splicing intron which is closely related to other group I introns of T4 and eukaryotes. Previously, the nrdB intron mutations, presumably causing splicing defects of the nrdB transcript, were isolated and mapped in or near the nrdB intron. In this communication, we have isolated 181 hydroxylamine-induced revertants for the above primary nrdB intron mutations by strategic usage of the white halo phenotype. Also, we mapped these revertant mutations by marker rescue with subclones of the nrdB gene. Some of the second site mutations were mapped to regions predicted by the secondary structure model of the nrdB intron. To investigate the involvement of protein factors facilitating splicing of the nrdB transcript, we attempted to isolate extragenic revertants of td-nrdB double mutants by utilizing hydroxylamine mutagenesis. Mapping and sequencing of the suppressor mutations in the ...

The nrdB gene of bacteriophage T4 codes for the small subunit of ribonucleotide reductase and contains a 598 base pair self splicing intron which is closely related to other group I introns of 14 and alkaxyotes. The screening, isolation and mapping of the nrbB intron mutations was conducted by the strategic usage of the white halo phenotype exhibited by T4 mutants defective in dyhydrofolate reductase or thymidylate synthase. We have isolated 159 hydroxylamine-induced nrdB mutants, determined which mutations are in nrdB by marker rescue with clones of the nrdB gene and have mapped these mutations by marker rescue using subclones of the nrdB intron. Thirty out of the 159 nrdB mutations are in or near the intron. These mutations cluster towards the ends, mainly the 3′ end. We have performed deletion mapping to further map mutations in the 3′ end of the intron. The mutations map in regions of conserved structural elements, thus supporting secondary structure predictions similar to those of the well studied td intron in the T4 gene coding for thymidylate synthase.

The nrd B gene of bacteriophage T4 codes for the small subunit of ribonucleotide reductase and contains a 598 nuclelotide group 1 self splicing intron. In order to study the functional domains for self-splicing of this intron, 23 nrd B splicing defective intron mutants were analysed for both sequence and functional changes. These mutants cluster towards the ends in regions of conserved structural elements of the intron. These 23 mutants have single base changes at 14 different sites. Interestingly two of these sites that seemed to map within the intron are actually located on the flanking exon sequences on both sides of the intron. A high frequency (4/12) of the mutation sites are in bases not thought to be base-paired in the standard model of group I intron structure. The mutation sites in pairing regions P3, P7, P8, P9 and between P6[3′] and P7[5′] are identical to changes found in the well studied td (encoding dTMP synthase) intron. However, five new mutation sites (S61, SL1, S29, SL11, SL196 and SL126) are unique to the nrd B intron and disrupt self-splicing. A mutation (S61) in the P7.1 pairing region is especially significant because no mutations have been found in this pairing, thus defining a new sub-domain essential for RNA splicing. Like the td intron, the mutation site in P9 of the nrd B intron is a hot spot for mutations, but unlike td , the nrd B intron does not show a mutational hot spot in the P6[5′] region. Our molecular dissection of the nrd B intron also supports the P9.0 and P10 pairings that have been postulated to help form a complex tertiary structure required to give the RNA sequence its catalytic activity: particularly 3′ splice site selection, cleavage and exon ligation.

The detailed distribution and characterization of 51 hydroxylamine (HA)-induced and 59 nitrous acid (NA)-induced mutations in the intron-containing bacteriophage T4 thymidylate synthase (td) gene is reported here. Mutations were mapped in 10 regions of the td gene by recombinational marker rescue using plasmid or M13 subclones of the td gene. Phage crosses using deletion mutants with known breakpoints in the 3' end of the td intron subdivided HA and NA mutations which mapped in this region. At least 31 of the mutations map within the 1-kb group I self-splicing intron. Intron mutations mapped only in the 5' and 3' ends of the intron sequence, in accordance with the hypothesis that the 5' and 3' domains of the T4 td intron are essential for correct RNA splicing. RNA sequence analysis of a number of mapped td mutations has identified two intron nucleotides and one exon nucleotide where both HA- and NA-induced mutations commonly occur. These three loci are characterized by a GC dinucleotide, with the mutations occurring at the cytosine residue. Thus, these data indicate at least three potential sites of both HA- and NA-induced mutagenic hotspot activity within the td gene.

Plating techniques which eliminate T4 plaque formation on Escherichia coli by folate analogue inhibition of dihydrofolate (FH 2 ) reductase (EC 1.5.1.3) allowed the isolation of folate analogue-resistant ( far ) mutants of T4. One class of far mutants overproduces the phage-induced FH 2 reductase. Deoxycytidylate deaminase (EC 3.5.4.12), thymidine kinase (EC 2.7.1.21), and deoxycytidine triphosphatase (EC 3.6.1.12) are also overproduced by 20 min after infection at 37 C. The overproduction of FH 2 reductase by these far mutants is not affected by the absence of DNA synthesis. Other types of mutations that affect the synthesis of early enzymes cause overproduction in the absence of DNA synthesis of some of the above enzymes but not of FH 2 reductase. Therefore, overproducing far mutants apparently have mutations in previously undescribed genes controlling the expression of the T4 genome. Three of four mutants under study map near gene 56, and one maps near gene 52. All of these mutants show delays in DNA synthesis, phage production, and lysis and appear to show decreased levels of RNA synthesis based on the cumulative incorporation of uridine.

The dihydrofolate (FH 2 ) reductase specified by the T4 frd gene (previously called the wh gene) is apparently nonessential for phage growth on Escherichia coli because the bacterial FH 2 reductase can partially substitute for the phage enzyme. To study the effect in vivo of folate analogs which specifically inhibit the T4 FH 2 reductase, the enzyme must be made essential for phage production. Partial inhibition of the E. coli FH 2 reductase with the folate analog trimethoprim strongly inhibits phage production by a T4 frd mutant and slightly inhibits wild-type phage production. Adding an additional T4-specific folate analog, a chlorophenyl triazine, strongly inhibits wild-type phage production without preventing the uninfected E. coli cells from multiplying. We have isolated spontaneous mutants of T4 which are capable of producing progeny in the presence of chlorophenyl triazine and another folate analog pyrimethamine. These mutants are designated folate analog resistant ( far ) and have been separated into two general classes. Class I mutants induce T4-specific FH 2 reductases which are less sensitive to the action of the folate analogs than the normal FH 2 reductase. Class II mutants induce an unaltered FH 2 reductase but contain mutations in a variety of T4 genes. Some class II mutants induce more phage FH 2 reductase activity than wild-type T4 and appear to be regulatory mutants.

New mutants of T4 have been isolated by using a strain of Escherichia coli lacking thymidine kinase activity. These T4 mutants, designated tk , are able to grow on this E. coli strain under light on plates containing 5-bromodeoxyuridine and were all found to be unable to induce thymidine kinase (ATP: thymidine 5′-phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.21). All of these tk mutants fall into one complementation group which maps just to the right of rI on the standard T4 genetic map, far from most other genes coding for enzymes involved in pyrimidine metabolism. The tk mutants grow as well as wild-type T4, indicating that thymidine kinase is a non-essential enzyme.

We have found that mutations in phage T4 genes 41 (five of five) and 61 (three of three) cause resistance to the folate analogue pyrimethamine that inhibits T4 dihydrofolate (FH2) reductase. These genes code for subunits of a T4 primase and are part of a putative T4 replication complex. In contrast to many previously isolated folate analogue-resistant (Far) T4 mutants, these T4 primase mutants do not overproduce FH2 reductase nor do they alter its primary structure. A new mutant with a single lesion in gene 41 was isolated which proved resistant to the folate analogue at 30° and was lethal at 42°. This mutant induced normal levels of FH2 reductase (encoded by the frd gene) and appeared to have normal expression of other T4 genes at 30°. Like other mutations in gene 41, tsP129 reduced phage-induced DNA synthesis to about 15% that of wild-type T4 as measured by thymidine incorporation under restrictive conditions. Double mutants carrying mutations in genes 41 and 61, 41 and frd or 61 and frd showed allele-specific suppression suggesting that the products of these genes interact. We suggest that abnormal interactions between components of the replication complex and a DNA precursor synthesizing complex cause folate analog resistance by allosterically altering the T4 FH2 reductase.

Some spontaneously occurring bacteriophage T4 mutants ( far mutants) were able to form plaques in the presence of concentrations of folate analogues that completely inhibit plaque formation by wild-type phage T4. Some of these far mutants were shown to be ribonucleoside diphosphate (RDP) reductase (EC 1.17.4.1) deficient, and some independently isolated RDP reductase-deficient mutants ( nrd mutants) were shown to be folate analogue resistant. The map positions of the RDP reductase-deficient far mutants were shown to be within the genes controlling the phage-induced RDP reductase activity.

T4 induces dCMP deaminase activity in Escherichia coli B. Mutants ( cd ) of T4 unable to induce this activity have been isolated at a high frequency by hydroxylamine treatment. No selection procedure was needed other than an enzymatic assay of extracts of phage-infected cells. The isolation of these mutants indicates that at least one T4 cistron controls the production of dCMP deaminase activity. Studies of one cd mutant suggest that either it makes no dCMP deaminase or else one that is structurally altered. The cd + function does not appear to be essential for T4 growth in E. coli B nor does it significantly affect the production of the other early enzymes dTMP synthetase and dCMP hydrooxymethylase.