Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 28, 2026

An Assay for Quantifying Protein-RNA Binding in Bacteria
07:02

An Assay for Quantifying Protein-RNA Binding in Bacteria

Published on: June 12, 2019

Bacteriophage phi 29 early protein p17. Self-association and hetero-association with the viral histone-like protein

Paola Crucitti1, Ana M Abril, Margarita Salas

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

The Journal of Biological Chemistry
|December 14, 2002
PubMed

Insights

Bacillus subtilis phage Phi29 gene 17 protein p17 optimizes viral DNA replication initiation by aiding origin-binding protein p6. This protein is crucial early in infection, especially at low multiplicities, and also regulates its own transcription.

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Bacillus subtilis phage Phi29 gene 17 encodes protein p17, essential for early phage replication at low infection multiplicities.
  • Protein p17 is thought to recruit limiting initiation factors to viral origins.
  • Its function becomes dispensable as replication proteins accumulate.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Investigate protein p17 dimerization and the role of its coiled-coil region.
  • Elucidate the interaction between protein p17 and viral origin-binding protein p6.

Main Methods:

  • Protein dimerization studies.
  • Analysis of coiled-coil region function.
  • Investigation of protein p17 and p6 interactions.

Main Results:

  • Protein p17 dimerization and coiled-coil region were studied.
  • The interaction between protein p17 and origin-binding protein p6 was analyzed.
  • Results suggest p17 optimizes p6 binding to viral DNA ends.

Conclusions:

  • Protein p17 facilitates the initiation of Bacillus subtilis phage Phi29 replication.
  • p17 optimizes origin-binding protein p6's interaction with viral DNA.
  • Protein p17 negatively modulates its own transcription.

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

Visualization and Quantitative Analysis of Genotoxin-Induced PARP1/PARP2 Activation in Cells Using a Fluorescent Fusion Protein-Based Reporter07:53

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

Published on: April 17, 2026

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...
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...
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...
Bacteriophages of the Human Virome01:23

Bacteriophages of the Human Virome

Bacteriophages are found throughout the human body. They may even outnumber eukaryotic viruses, forming an important and dynamic component of the human virome. Indeed, phages represent the most abundant viral entities, with densities in the gut reaching up to 10⁹ particles per gram of fecal matter, and many belonging to orders such as Caudovirales and Microviridae, while a substantial proportion remains unclassified as viral “dark matter.”Lysogeny and Genetic ExchangeIn the gut, bacteriophages...
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...
Protein Complex Assembly02:41

Protein Complex Assembly

Proteins can form homomeric complexes with another unit of the same protein or heteromeric complexes with different types.  Most protein complexes self-assemble spontaneously via ordered pathways, while some proteins need assembly factors that guide their proper assembly. Despite the crowded intracellular environment, proteins usually interact with their correct partners and form functional complexes.
Many viruses self-assemble into a fully functional unit using the infected host cell to...