Area of Science:

• Molecular biology
• Virology
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Bacteriophage fd is a well-studied model organism.
• Mutagenesis is a key tool for understanding gene function.
• Protein structure and function are determined by amino acid composition.

Purpose of the Study:

• To isolate and characterize spontaneous and chemically induced mutants of bacteriophage fd.
• To investigate alterations in the bacteriophage fd coat protein (B-protein) due to mutagenesis.

Main Methods:

• Isolation of bacteriophage fd mutants using free flow electrophoresis.
• Induction of mutants using chemical mutagens (2.7-diaminofluorene and proflavin).
• Amino acid analysis of wild-type and mutant coat proteins.

Main Results:

• Successfully isolated spontaneous and chemically induced bacteriophage fd mutants.
• Identified significant differences in the amino acid composition of mutant B-proteins compared to wild-type.
• Demonstrated the impact of mutagenesis on bacteriophage coat protein structure.

Conclusions:

• Mutagenesis significantly alters the amino acid sequence of bacteriophage fd coat proteins.
• Free flow electrophoresis is an effective method for isolating bacteriophage mutants.
• These findings contribute to understanding phage genetics and protein evolution.