Process of Infection with Bacteriophage φX174

Abstract

The origin of the templates for the synthesis of φX174 progeny single-stranded deoxyribonucleic acid was studied by means of the mutagenic activity associated with the decay of incorporated 3 H-labeled 5-cytosine. The results indicate that the single-strand synthesis occurs in an asymmetric semiconservative manner using as template the complementary strands of the pool of replicative from molecules accumulated during the eclipse period. These complementary strands are repeatedly used as templates, and there is no detectable preferential use of complementary strand templates made early in the eclipse versus those made late.