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Properties of Thermoactinomyces vulgaris phage Ta1 and its extracted DNA
Abstract:
The virulent phage Ta1 was obtained in good yields from infected cultures of Thermoactinomyces vulgaris 1227. The purified phage was found to sediment with a single band, the sedimentation constant being (519 +/- 14)S, and to exhibit a typical nucleoprotein behaviour in UV-spectrophotometric and CD experiments. The Ta1 phage consists of a hexagonal head about 0.056 micrometers in diameter and a very short tail. It is morphologically similar to the temperate Salmonella phage P22. The nucleic acid extracted from the phage was found to be a double-stranded linear DNA with a G+C content of 42 mole-% as deduced both from its melting temperature and buoyant density in CsCl. Analytical sedimentation revealed a high degree of molecular homogeneity of Ta1 Dna. the sedimentation constant of this DNA amounts to (35.9 +/- 0.3)S, corresponding to a DNA molecular weight of about 29 millions daltons. The biological activity of Ta1 DNA was indicated by its ability to infect the mycelium of the components T. vulgaris strain 1227 and to give rise to mature phages.
Insights
Researchers isolated virulent phage Ta1 from Thermoactinomyces vulgaris. This phage contains double-stranded DNA, is biologically active, and morphologically resembles Salmonella phage P22.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Molecular Biology
- Virology
Background:
- Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria and play crucial roles in microbial ecosystems and genetic transfer.
- Thermoactinomyces vulgaris is a bacterial species relevant in various environments, and understanding its phages can reveal insights into bacterial-phage interactions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To isolate and characterize the virulent phage Ta1 from Thermoactinomyces vulgaris.
- To determine the physical, chemical, and biological properties of phage Ta1 and its DNA.
Main Methods:
- Phage isolation and purification from infected bacterial cultures.
- Characterization of phage morphology using electron microscopy (implied by description).
- Sedimentation analysis (analytical ultracentrifugation) to determine sedimentation constants.
- UV-spectrophotometry and Circular Dichroism (CD) for nucleoprotein behavior analysis.
- DNA extraction and analysis of its properties (e.g., strandedness, G+C content, molecular weight).
- Biological assays to confirm the infectivity of extracted Ta1 DNA.
Main Results:
- Virulent phage Ta1 was successfully isolated and purified from Thermoactinomyces vulgaris 1227.
- Phage Ta1 exhibits a sedimentation constant of (519 +/- 14)S and possesses a hexagonal head (0.056 micrometers) with a short tail.
- Extracted DNA is double-stranded, linear, with a G+C content of 42 mole-%, a sedimentation constant of (35.9 +/- 0.3)S, and a molecular weight of approximately 29 million daltons.
- Ta1 DNA demonstrated biological activity by infecting T. vulgaris mycelium and producing mature phages.
Conclusions:
- Phage Ta1 is a well-characterized virulent phage of Thermoactinomyces vulgaris.
- Its physical and biochemical properties are elucidated, including its DNA composition and molecular weight.
- The study confirms the biological infectivity and replication capability of Ta1 DNA.