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The synthetase gene of the RNA phages R17, MS2 and f2 has a single UAG terminator codon

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Summary

Translation of the RNA from the wild-type bacteriophages R17, MS2, and f2 in bacterial cell-free extracts containing an amber suppressor yields 30–40% of the synthetase with an approximate molecular weight of 63 500, slightly larger than the major synthetase product (63 000 daltons). The occurrence of the 63 500 dalton in vitro product is dependent on termination codon at the end of the synthetase gene. Previous results of Capecchi and Klein (Nature, 226, 1029–1033, 1970) showed that antibodies to both release factors RF1 and RF2 are required to block release of synthetase, suggesting that synthetase is released at a UAA codon. If the interpretations of both experiments are correct, the termination and release may not be synonomous and may be spatially separated. In addition there is the unexplained fact that 7% of the synthetase made in vitro in both su + and su - extracts with either R17, MS2, or f2 as template has an apparent molecular weight of 66 000.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.

    John F. Atkins & Raymond F. Gesteland

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  1. John F. Atkins
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  2. Raymond F. Gesteland
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Communicated by W. Gilbert

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Atkins, J.F., Gesteland, R.F. The synthetase gene of the RNA phages R17, MS2 and f2 has a single UAG terminator codon. Molec. Gen. Genet. 139, 19–31 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00267992

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00267992

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