Skip to main content

Recognition and specific degradation of bacteriophage T4 mRNAs.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Ueno, H; Yonesaki, T
Published in: Genetics
May 2001

Gene 61.5 of bacteriophage T4 has a unique role in gene expression. When this gene is mutated, mRNAs of many late genes are rapidly degraded, resulting in late-gene silencing. Here, we characterize an extragenic suppressor, ssf5, of a gene 61.5 mutation. ssf5 was found to be an amber mutation in motA, which encodes a transcription activator for T4 middle genes. When this gene is mutated, both degradation and specific cleavage of late-gene mRNA is induced after a delay, as exemplified by soc mRNA. Consequently, partial late-gene expression occurs. In an ssf5 genetic background, a gene 61.5 mutation exhibits a novel phenotype: in contrast to late-gene mRNA, middle-gene mRNA is stabilized and the expression of middle genes is prolonged. This is attributable to an activity of gene 61.5 specific for degradation of middle-gene mRNA. The degradation of middle-gene mRNA in the presence of a normal gene 61.5 appears in parallel with the degradation of late-gene mRNA in its absence. This observation suggests that the mRNA-degrading activity that silences late genes in cells infected with a gene 61.5 mutant is targeted to middle-gene mRNA when gene 61.5 is wild type. These results and the results obtained in the presence of a normal motA gene suggest that gene 61.5 protein functions to discriminate mRNAs for degradation in a stage-dependent manner.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Genetics

DOI

ISSN

0016-6731

Publication Date

May 2001

Volume

158

Issue

1

Start / End Page

7 / 17

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Viral Proteins
  • RNA, Viral
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Phenotype
  • Mutation
  • Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel
  • Developmental Biology
  • Bacteriophage T4
  • 3105 Genetics
  • 3101 Biochemistry and cell biology
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Ueno, H., & Yonesaki, T. (2001). Recognition and specific degradation of bacteriophage T4 mRNAs. Genetics, 158(1), 7–17. https://doi.org/10.1093/genetics/158.1.7
Ueno, H., and T. Yonesaki. “Recognition and specific degradation of bacteriophage T4 mRNAs.Genetics 158, no. 1 (May 2001): 7–17. https://doi.org/10.1093/genetics/158.1.7.
Ueno H, Yonesaki T. Recognition and specific degradation of bacteriophage T4 mRNAs. Genetics. 2001 May;158(1):7–17.
Ueno, H., and T. Yonesaki. “Recognition and specific degradation of bacteriophage T4 mRNAs.Genetics, vol. 158, no. 1, May 2001, pp. 7–17. Pubmed, doi:10.1093/genetics/158.1.7.
Ueno H, Yonesaki T. Recognition and specific degradation of bacteriophage T4 mRNAs. Genetics. 2001 May;158(1):7–17.

Published In

Genetics

DOI

ISSN

0016-6731

Publication Date

May 2001

Volume

158

Issue

1

Start / End Page

7 / 17

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Viral Proteins
  • RNA, Viral
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Phenotype
  • Mutation
  • Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel
  • Developmental Biology
  • Bacteriophage T4
  • 3105 Genetics
  • 3101 Biochemistry and cell biology