The complete sequence of Bacillus phage phi 29 gene 16: a protein required for the genome encapsidation reaction.

We have sequenced the region of the Bacillus phage phi 29 genome that encodes gene 16, the gene product of which catalyzes the in vivo and in vitro genome-encapsidation reaction. The identity of the coding frame was confirmed by sequencing a sus mutant, sus16(300). It is concluded that gene 16 encodes a 39-kDal protein and is comprised of 331 amino acids. Only 30 bp separates gene 16 from the last open reading frame of the right early region. Analysis of potential secondary structures in this region suggests that the same sequences may be involved in the termination of both the late and early transcripts.