Expression of bacteriophage Ml3 DNA in vivo. Localization of the transcription initiation and termination signal of the mRNA coding for the major capsid protein

During the infection cycle of the filamentous bacteriophage Ml 3 a phage specific RNA species is made which selectively directs ijn vitro the synthesis of the precursor of the major capsid protein encoded by gene VIII. This RNA is unstable (its mean half-life is 1 I min) and is made in amounts representing at least 2 % of the newly synthesized RNA. Nucleotide sequence analysis have indicated that the synthesis of this RNA species is initiated and terminated at the same promoter (GQ jg) and termination signal (TQ 25) °f tne M'3 genome as the 8S RNA species made in vitro under the direction of Ml 3 replicative form DNA