The Odd "RB" Phage-Identification of Arabinosylation as a New Epigenetic Modification of DNA in T4-Like Phage RB69.

ABSTRACT: In bacteriophages related to T4, hydroxymethylcytosine (hmC) is incorporated into the genomic DNA during DNA replication and is then further modified to glucosyl-hmC by phage-encoded glucosyltransferases. Previous studies have shown that RB69 shares a core set of genes with T4 and relatives. However, unlike the other “RB” phages, RB69 is unable to recombine its DNA with T4 or with the other “RB” isolates. In addition, despite having homologs to the T4 enzymes used to synthesize hmC, RB69 has no identified homolog to known glucosyltransferase genes. In this study we sought to understand the basis for RB69’s behavior using high-pH anion exchange chromatography (HPAEC) and mass spectrometry. Our analyses identified a novel phage epigenetic DNA sugar modification

SUBMITTER: Thomas JA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6024577 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature