computational proteomics Rapid Isolation and Identification of Bacteriophage T4-Encoded Modifications of Escherichia coli RNA Polymerase: A Generic Method to Study Bacteriophage/Host Interactions

Bacteriophages are bacterial viruses that infect bacterial cells, and they have developed ingenious mechanisms tomodify the bacterial RNA polymerase. Using a rapid, specific, single-step affinity isolation procedure to purify Escherichia coli RNA polymerase from bacteriophage T4-infected cells, we have identified bacteriophage T4-dependent modifications of the host RNA polymerase. We suggest that this methodology is broadly applicable for the identification of bacteriophage-dependent alterations of the host synthesis machinery