FIG. 3.
Demonstration of the plasmid-like genome in phage VP882. The locations of the primers used in demonstrating the plasmid-like genomes are indicated, and details of the experimental procedures are addressed in Materials and Methods. (Top) After infection of the host, the virion genome of a linear plasmid-like phage will become circularized via its cohesive ends. (Middle) The protelomerase will then cut at the hairpin region and form covalently closed ends (36, 44). Pt, protelomerase; Pa, ParA. (Bottom) In addition, the host chromosomal DNA preparation (lanes 1 and 2) and the VP882 viral DNA (lanes 3 and 4) were separately amplified with the 37698R and 236L primers, and the amplicons were separated with (lanes 2 and 4) or without (lanes 1 and 3) prior digestion with BfucI or SalI. Lane M contains molecular size markers (Fermentas 1-kb DNA ladder; BioLabTech, Kyiv, Ukraine).