RNA-primed initiation sites of DNA replication in the origin region of bacteriophage lambda genome

Abstract

Using DNA molecules synthesized in the early stage of lambda phage infection, deoxynucleotides at the transition sites from primer RNA to DNA synthesis have been mapped in the 1.5 kbase area of the lambda phage genome containing the genetically defined replication origin (ori lambda). Sites in the 1-strand (the polarity of the 1-strand is 5' to 3' from the left to the right direction of the lambda phage genetic map) were distributed both inside and outside of the ori lambda, whereas the sites in the r-strand (the strand in the opposite polarity) were mainly distributed more than three hundred nucleotides apart from the ori lambda to the right. A CPuPu sequence was found at -12 to -10 region of transition sites of the r- and the 1-strands in the frequency of 80% and 70%, respectively, and over 60% of the CPuPu sequences were CAG. Properties of the transition sites are discussed in relation to the primer synthesis.