# BACTERIOPHAGE P22 ESSENTIAL RECOMBINATION FUNCTION

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIV OF MASSACHUSETTS MED SCH WORCESTER · 1989 · $191,621

## Abstract

The long-term goal of this research is an understanding of the
mechanisms of genetic recombination.  Recombination is a process
of fundamental importance in the generation of genetic variation,
and, in higher organisms, of diversity in the immune response.  The
system to be studied is the homologous recombination system of
bacteriophage P22, which consists of the protein products of four
phage genes:  Erf, the key component, a strand-exchanging protein;
Arf (accessory recombination function), which enhances Erf activity
in vivo; and Abc1 and Abc2 (anti-RecBCD), which modulate the
activity of the host cell RecBCD protein, diverting it into the
phage recombination pathway.

The mechanism of homologous recombination carried out by the P22
system will be studied by biochemical and genetic means.  In vivo
assays of recombination between phages will pe employed to examine
the role of double-chain breaks in the Erf system, and to test the
activity of Arf in promoting homologous recombination by other
systems.  Individual components of the recombination system will
be purified and characterized biochemically:  structural and
functional alteration of RecBCD by Abc (ana by the Gam protein of
phage lambda), modulation of Erf activity by Arf, and the function
of the carboxy-terminal domain of Erf will be examined in
particular.  Attempts will be made to assemble, from purified
components in vitro, systems and sub-systems that faithfully mimic
the activity of the P22 homologous recombination in vivo.  The
actions of these systems on substrate DNA will be studied by gel
electrophoretic and electron microscopic techniques, with the aim
of establishing the individual steps of the process and
characterizing the intermediates formed.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3127775
- **Project number:** 2R01AI018234-09
- **Recipient organization:** UNIV OF MASSACHUSETTS MED SCH WORCESTER
- **SAM.gov UEI:** MQE2JHHJW9Q8
- **Principal Investigator:** ANTHONY R. POTEETE
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1989
- **Award amount:** $191,621
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 1981-07-01 → 1994-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3127775

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3127775, BACTERIOPHAGE P22 ESSENTIAL RECOMBINATION FUNCTION (2R01AI018234-09). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3127775. Licensed CC0.

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