Index >> Bacteriophages - Part One >> RF Replication ( RF to RF )

RF Replication ( RF to RF ) - The parental RF molecule now replicates to produce 100-200 copies of progeny RF molecules. RFI cannot give rise to viral strands directly. It is nicked by the product of gene II.

This enzyme recognizes a specific sequence of nucleotides in the intergenic space where the origin of replication is situated.

It thus functions as a site specific endonuclease.It may also have a role as an activator of a host enzyme and in the modification of the 5-terminus to prevent closure by the host ligase.

The released strand may either be converted into another replicative form, or may be incorporated into a new phage particle. If a complementary strand is synthesized, a replicative form results. For single strand production there is no complementary strand synthesis.

The replicative form is not formed in the absence of gene Y, protein. Defective gene V mutants can carry out RF replication, but do not enter into single strand synthesis. There is accumulation of a large pool of RF molecules, but no progeny single strands are formed.