Genetic Analysis of the Lambda Spanins Rz and Rz1: Identification of Functional Domains.

ABSTRACT: Coliphage lambda proteins Rz and Rz1 are the inner membrane and outer membrane subunits of the spanin complex-a heterotetramer that bridges the periplasm and is essential for the disruption of the outer membrane during phage lysis. Recent evidence suggests the spanin complex functions by fusing the inner and outer membrane. Here, we use a genetics approach to investigate and characterize determinants of spanin function. Because Rz1 is entirely embedded in the +1 reading frame of Rz, the genes were disembedded before using random mutagenesis to construct a library of lysis-defective alleles for both genes. Surprisingly, most of the lysis-defective missense mutants exhibited normal accumulation or localization in vivo, and also were found to be normal for complex formati

SUBMITTER: Cahill J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5295617 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature