Interaction between bacteriophage [lambda] and its Escherichia coli host

Abstract

Bacteriophage [lambda] relies to a large extent on processes requiring interactions between viral- and host-encoded proteins for its lytic growth, establishment of lysogeny, and release from the prophage state. Both biochemical and genetic studies of these interactions have yielded new information about important host and [lambda] functions. In particular, mutations in Escherichia coli that compromise [lambda] DNA replication, genome packaging, transcription elongation, and site-specific recombination have led to the identification of bacterial genes whose products are chaperones, transcription factors, or DNA-binding proteins.