Characterization of the single-stranded DNA binding protein pV(VGJΦ) of VGJΦ phage from Vibrio cholerae.

pV(VGJΦ), a single-stranded DNA binding protein of the vibriophage VGJΦ was subject to biochemical analysis. Here, we show that this protein has a general affinity for single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) as documented by Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay (EMSA). The apparent molecular weight of the monomer is about 12.7kDa as measured by HPLC-SEC. Moreover, isoelectrofocusing showed an isoelectric point for pV(VGJΦ) of 6.82 pH units. Size exclusion chromatography in 150mM NaCl, 50mM sodium phosphate buffer, pH 7.0 revealed a major protein species of 27.0kDa, suggesting homodimeric protein architecture. Furthermore, pV(VGJΦ) binds ssDNA at extreme temperatures and the complex was stable after extended incubation times. Upon frozen storage at -20°C for a year the protein retained its integrity, biological activity and oligomericity. On the other hand, bioinformatics analysis predicted that pV(VGJΦ) protein has a disordered C-terminal, which might be involved in its functional activity. All the aforementioned features make pV(VGJΦ) interesting for biotechnological applications.

DNA binding proteins of the filamentous phages CTXphi and VGJphi of Vibrio cholerae.

The native product of open reading frame 112 (orf112) and a recombinant variant of the RstB protein, encoded by Vibrio cholerae pathogen-specific bacteriophages VGJphi and CTXphi, respectively, were purified to more than 90% homogeneity. Orf112 protein was shown to specifically bind single-stranded genomic DNA of VGJphi; however, RstB protein unexpectedly bound double-stranded DNA in addition to the single-stranded genomic DNA. The DNA binding properties of these proteins may explain their requirement for the rolling circle replication of the respective phages and RstB's requirement for single-stranded-DNA chromosomal integration of CTXphi phage dependent on XerCD recombinases.