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Smallest gene matches in SPO1 12.5
kb terminal repeat. The entire units organization is similar to the
SPO1 host takeover region.
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PhageDorf201 matches
inside another phage's tape measure protein.
Pedulla
et al., 2003,report that the tape measure
protein sometimes carries signaling domains into the host cell in advance
of the DNA.
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Most of the genes
have no identifiable homologues.
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The whole organization of this region
seems like the SPO1 host takeover region in spite of little specific homology.
That is it has very small genes, none far from an excellent host promoter.
This is the first DNA into the cell, and may be adapted for rapid expression
of genes to interfere with host defenses. In SPO1, indeed one function
expressed prevents destruction of DNA by a host system. Hence the
entire unit may be organized for expression even as the DNA is destroyed.
That would also explain why such a large terminal repeat in a phage that
seems adverse to wasting any space.
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This region may be a focus of host-phage
interaction, and may therefore be highly mosaic due to the coadaptive struggle
between the two. Of course, as long as there are so many genes with
no identified homologues, there is no way to tell if most of them come
from one well conserved framework or every gene has a different history.