Regulation of transcription and DNA replication of bacteriophage phi 80

Transcriptional mapping and DNA replication measurements have been used to characterize a series of phi 80 suppressor-sensitive mutants which are defective in genes 15, 14, 16, and 17. These genes are localized within the inner right arm of the vegetative phi 80 DNA genome. The sus326 mutation in gene 15 leads to a decrease in major leftward (pL-att80) RNA levels and to a marked pleiotropic reduction in major rightward RNA synthesis; however, phi 80 DNA synthesis is reduced only moderately (about two-fold). These findings are consistent with the gene 15 product being a positive control regulator that is essential for normal transcriptional development, in particular, beyond a termination signal(s) (tR) located between genes 16 and 17. The sus8 and sus258 mutations (in genes 14 and 16, respectively) lead to severe blockage of both major rightward RNA transcription and phi 80 DNA synthesis. The products of genes 14 and 16 appear to be required for both autonomous phi 80 DNA replication and the "late" transcriptional development. The sus121 mutation in gene 17 reduces the level of "late" major rightward transcription (gene 17-1-13-att'80 segment) by about 10-fold but does not have any apparent effect on the levels of phi 80 DNA synthesis. These profiles identify the product of gene 17 as a "Q-type" positive control regulator for the "late" major rightward RNA. These studies reveal the functional characterization of four genes, the products of which are necessary for the efficient expression of the "early" RNA transcribed segments, autonomous DNA replication, and the production of normal levels of "late" (17-1-13-att'80) RNA synthesis.