Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 15, 2026

Visualization and Quantitative Analysis of Genotoxin-Induced PARP1/PARP2 Activation in Cells Using a Fluorescent Fusion Protein-Based Reporter
07:53

Visualization and Quantitative Analysis of Genotoxin-Induced PARP1/PARP2 Activation in Cells Using a Fluorescent Fusion Protein-Based Reporter

Published on: April 17, 2026

Dynamic relocalization of phage phi 29 DNA during replication and the role of the viral protein p16.7

W J Meijer1, P J Lewis, J Errington

  • 1Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM), Universidad Autónoma, Canto Blanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain.

The EMBO Journal
|August 2, 2000
PubMed

Insights

Bacillus subtilis phage phi 29 DNA replication initially localizes to one end of the host nucleoid. This DNA replication then redistributes to multiple sites, a process dependent on phage protein p16.7.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Virology

Background:

  • Understanding bacteriophage DNA replication is crucial for controlling bacterial infections.
  • Bacillus subtilis phage phi 29 serves as a model system for studying viral DNA replication mechanisms.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the spatial and temporal localization of Bacillus subtilis phage phi 29 DNA replication within infected host cells.
  • To identify host and viral factors influencing the dynamic redistribution of phage DNA during replication.

Main Methods:

  • Immunofluorescence microscopy was employed to visualize phage replication proteins and DNA.
  • Incorporation of nucleotide analogues into phage DNA was tracked to pinpoint replication sites.
  • The role of specific phage proteins, notably p16.7, in DNA redistribution was assessed.

Main Results:

  • Phage DNA replication initiated at a single focus, typically near one end of the host nucleoid.
  • During later infection stages, replication sites redistributed to multiple locations beneath the cell membrane, surrounding the nucleoid.
  • Efficient redistribution of replicating phage DNA was found to be dependent on the phage protein p16.7.

Conclusions:

  • Bacillus subtilis phage phi 29 DNA replication undergoes dynamic spatial redistribution within the infected host cell.
  • Phage protein p16.7 plays a critical role in mediating the efficient relocation of replication sites.
  • These findings provide insights into the spatial organization of viral DNA replication and its regulation by phage-encoded factors.

More Related Videos

Phage Phenomics: Physiological Approaches to Characterize Novel Viral Proteins09:40

Phage Phenomics: Physiological Approaches to Characterize Novel Viral Proteins

Published on: June 11, 2015

Related Concept Videos

DNA Bacteriophages01:26

DNA Bacteriophages

Bacteriophages, or phages, are viruses that specifically infect bacteria, utilizing their genetic material to hijack host cellular machinery for replication. DNA bacteriophages employ single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) or double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) genomes. These phages exhibit diverse replication strategies and host interactions, influencing their ecological roles and applications in biotechnology and medicine.ssDNA BacteriophagesssDNA phages, with their small genomes, utilize unique strategies to...
Lysogenic Cycle of Bacteriophages00:43

Lysogenic Cycle of Bacteriophages

In contrast to the lytic cycle, phages infecting bacteria via the lysogenic cycle do not immediately kill their host cell. Instead, they combine their genome with the host genome, allowing the bacteria to replicate the phage DNA along with the bacterial genome. The incorporated copy of the phage genome is called the prophage. Some prophages can re-activate and enter the lytic cycle. This often occurs in response to a perturbation, such as DNA damage, but can also transpire in the absence of...
Viral Replication: Lysogenic Cycle01:16

Viral Replication: Lysogenic Cycle

The lysogenic cycle is a crucial viral replication strategy that allows bacteriophages to persist within host cells without immediately destroying them. This process is primarily observed in temperate phages, such as bacteriophage lambda (λ), which infects Escherichia coli. The cycle allows the viral genome to persist across bacterial generations while keeping host cells viable.Integration of the Viral GenomeUpon infection, bacteriophage lambda attaches to the bacterial surface and injects its...
Restarting Stalled Replication Forks02:37

Restarting Stalled Replication Forks

DNA replication is initiated at sites containing predefined DNA sequences known as origins of replication. DNA is unwound at these sites by the minichromosome maintenance (MCM) helicase and other factors such as Cdc45 and the associated GINS complex.The unwound single strands are protected by replication protein A (RPA) until DNA polymerase starts synthesizing DNA at the 5’ end of the strand in the same direction as the replication fork. To prevent the replication fork from falling apart, a...
Viral Replication: Lytic Cycle01:20

Viral Replication: Lytic Cycle

Bacteriophages, or phages, are viruses that specifically infect bacteria. Among them, T-even bacteriophages, such as T4, exhibit a well-characterized lytic replication cycle in Escherichia coli (E. coli). This process ensures the rapid proliferation of the virus while ultimately leading to the destruction of the bacterial host.Attachment and DNA InjectionThe infection process begins with the recognition and binding of the T4 phage to the E. coli cell surface. Tail fibers of the phage...
Lytic Cycle of Bacteriophages01:30

Lytic Cycle of Bacteriophages

Bacteriophages, also known as phages, are specialized viruses that infect bacteria. A key characteristic of phages is their distinctive “head-tail” morphology. A phage begins the infection process (i.e., lytic cycle) by attaching to the outside of a bacterial cell. Attachment is accomplished via proteins in the phage tail that bind to specific receptor proteins on the outer surface of the bacterium. The tail injects the phage’s DNA genome into the bacterial cytoplasm. In the lytic replication...