AI Article Synopsis
- Researchers isolated a 32-kb double-stranded linear DNA molecule from the cell-free supernatant of Borrelia burgdorferi culture, which originates from its circular plasmids.
- Electron microscopy revealed bacteriophage particles, characterized by a 55 nm polyhedral head and a 100-nm-long tail.
- The phage is produced at low levels in certain B. burgdorferi strains and can be induced to higher levels using the chemical MNNG, marking the first molecular characterization of a bacteriophage linked to B. burgdorferi.
Article Abstract
We have recovered a DNase-protected, chloroform-resistant molecule of DNA from the cell-free supernatant of a Borrelia burgdorferi culture. The DNA is a 32-kb double-stranded linear molecule that is derived from the 32-kb circular plasmids (cp32s) of the B. burgdorferi genome. Electron microscopy of samples from which the 32-kb DNA molecule was purified revealed bacteriophage particles. The bacteriophage has a polyhedral head with a diameter of 55 nm and appears to have a simple 100-nm-long tail. The phage is produced constitutively at low levels from growing cultures of some B. burgdorferi strains and is inducible to higher levels with 10 microg of 1-methyl-3-nitroso-nitroguanidine (MNNG) ml(-1). In addition, the prophage can be induced with MNNG from some Borrelia isolates that do not naturally produce phage. We have isolated and partially characterized the phage associated with B. burgdorferi CA-11.2A. To our knowledge, this is the first molecular characterization of a bacteriophage of B. burgdorferi.
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| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC103694 | PMC |
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/JB.181.23.7308-7313.1999 | DOI Listing |
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