Integration of the DNA of filamentous bacteriophage Cflt into the chromosomal DNA of its host

Abstract

It was demonstrated for the first time that filamentous bacteriophage Cflt, which contains single-stranded DNA, can incorporate its genome into that of its host. Evidence in support of the incorporation was obtained from a Southern blot hybridization analysis of DNA isolated from Cflt-lysogenized cells. DNAs from different Cflt-lysogenized cells were purified, and the integration patterns were compared. Because all integration patterns were identical and only one fragment in Cflt replicative-form DNA was missing, it appears that the integration was site specific. Only one complement of viral DNA was integrated per host chromosome. To determine the attachment site on the viral DNA, the physical map of EcoRI, XhoI, SstII, and BglII on Cflt DNA was constructed. Based on this physical map and a Southern blot hybridization analysis of lysogen DNA with these restriction endonucleases, we demonstrated that DNA sequences from all regions of the Cflt genome were represented in the integrated viral sequences. The attachment site on the viral genome was located at 69.2 to 73.8 min on the Cflt DNA.