Stoichiometric use of the transposase of bacteriophage Mu

Abstract

The transposase of bacteriophage Mu (gene A protein) mediates the coupled replication and integration processes that constitute transposition during the lytic cycle. Our previous results showed that the activity of the A protein is unstable, as its continued synthesis is required to maintain Mu DNA replication throughout the lytic cycle. We present here the results of experiments in which the A protein is used stoichiometrically and must be synthesized de novo for each round of Mu DNA replication. Induction of a Mu lysogen in the absence of DNA replication allows accumulation of potential for a single round of Mu DNA replication. Once achieved, this potential is stable even in the absence of further protein synthesis. Release of inhibition of DNA replication leads to a single semi-conservative replicative transposition event, followed by later rounds only if additional synthesis of the A protein is allowed.