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Journal of Bacteriology, August 2004, p. 5533-5537, Vol. 186, No. 16
0021-9193/04/$08.00+0 DOI: 10.1128/JB.186.16.5533-5537.2004
Copyright © 2004, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.
Departamento de Genética y Biología Molecular, CINVESTAV-IPN, San Pedro Zacatenco, México D.F. 07360, Mexico
Received 3 February 2004/ Accepted 12 May 2004
Lambda bacteriophage development is impaired in Escherichia coli cells defective for peptidyl (pep)-tRNA hydrolase (Pth). Single-base-pair mutations (bar) that affect translatable two-codon open reading frames named bar minigenes (barI or barII) in the lambda phage genome promote the development of this phage in Pth-defective cells (rap cells). When the barI minigene is cloned and overexpressed from a plasmid, it inhibits protein synthesis and cell growth in rap cells by sequestering
as
. Either
or Pth may reverse these effects. In this paper we present evidence that both barI and barII minigenes are translatable elements that sequester
as
. In addition, overexpression of the barI minigene impairs the development even of bar phages in rap cells. Interestingly, tRNA or Pth may reestablish lambda phage development. These results suggest that lambda bar minigenes are expressed and
is sequestered as
during lambda phage development.
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