Structural features of very fast sedimenting DNA formed by gene 49 defective T4

Very fast sedimenting DNA (VFS DNA) of T4 phage, which is formed by infection with a mutant in gene 49, was examined by electron microscopy after mild treatment with DNase I. It showed Y-shaped, branched strands in addition to linear strands. Each branch contained a single-stranded interruption about 60 nucleotides long at its proximal end. The average number of branches per T4 DNA unit was close to the average number of sites susceptible to gene 49 nuclease. Both numbers were consistently changed by the addition of a secondary mutation in a gene involving recombination.