[Bacteriophage lambda DNA replication--new discoveries made using an old experimental model]

Bacteriophage lamda is a model in molecular biology studies since over fifty years. Nevertheless, studies of recent years (similarly to previous time periods) resulted in many new experimental results which not only expanded our knowledge on molecular mechanisms of functions of this virus, but also shed new light on general rules of the transduction and transfer of genetic information. In this review, we present recent achievements of studies on mechanisms of regulation of bacteriophage lamda DNA replication. Between others, these studies led to determination of the composition of lamda inherited replication complex, indication of the biological role of rapid degradation of free lamda omicron protein, description of the proposal of regulation of the switch from early (theta) to late (sigma) lamda DNA replication mode, elucidation of the mechanism of transcription regulation by a replication protein DnaA and demonstration of the activity of transcription stimulator by another replication regulator--the SeqA protein. These results may be important to better understand regulation of DNA replication of not only bacteriophage lamda but also other organisms.