Proteins of bacteriophage phi6

Abstract

We investigated the protein composition of the lipid-containing bacteriophage phi 6. We also studied the synthesis of phage-specific proteins in the host bacterium Pseudomonas phaseolicola HB10Y. The virion was found to contain 10 proteins of the following molecular weights: P1, 93,000; P2, 88,000; P3, 84,000; P4, 36,800; P5, 24,000; P6, 21,000; P7, 19,900; P8, 10,500; P9, 8,700; and P10, less than 6,000. Proteins P3, P9, and P10 were completely extracted from the virion with 1% Triton X-100. Protein P6 was partially extracted. Proteins P8 and P9 were purified by column chromatography. The amino acid composition of P9 was determined and was found to lack methionine. Labeling of viral proteins with [35S]methionine in infected cells indicated that proteins P5, P9, P10, and P11 lacked methionine. Treatment of host cells with UV light before infection allowed the synthesis of P1, P2, P4, and P7; however, the extent of viral protein synthesis fell off exponentially with increasing delay time between irradiation and infection. Treatment of host cells with rifampin during infection allowed preferential synthesis of viral proteins, but the extent of synthesis also fell off exponentially with increasing delay time between the addition of rifampin and the addition of radioactive amino acids. All of the virion proteins were seen in gels prepared from rifampin-treated infected cells. In addition, two proteins, P11 and P12, were observed; their molecular weights were 25,200 and 20,100, respectively. Proteins P1, P2, P4, and P7 were synthesized early, whereas the rest began to increase at 45 min post-infection.