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Effect of Elevated Temperature on Deoxyribonucleic Acid Synthesis in Bacteriophage 29-Infected Bacillus amyloliquefaciens

Department of Biochemistry, Department of Microbiology, and School of Dentistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 55455

ABSTRACT

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) synthesis in bacteriophage 29-infected Bacillus amyloliquefaciens was studied at 37 and 45 C. Infectious intracellular particles appear at the same time at both temperatures, but the average burst size is reduced 45 to 50% at 45 C. There is a transient inhibition of cellular mass increase at 45 C which is not observed at the lower temperature. In addition, the rate of host DNA synthesis is reduced and the onset of viral-specific DNA replication is delayed for 6 to 9 min at 45 C. These findings allowed us to screen phage 29 mutants which are sensitive to growth at 45 C for their ability to synthesize 29 DNA in the absence of host DNA replication. We obtained mutants which make no viral DNA, reduced levels of DNA, or normal quantities of DNA under nonpermissive conditions. Pulse-labeled viral DNA which sediments more rapidly than mature 29 DNA molecules was observed after gentle cell lysis and zone sedimentation. This DNA is not a precursor of normally sedimenting 29 DNA and apparently consists of mature 29 DNA molecules aggregated with large pieces of bacterial DNA.