Characterisation of Mycobacteriophage ATCC 11759. Unusual Physicochemical Properties of Its DNA

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Abstract
Growth conditions and a purification procedure for mycobacteriophage ATCC 11759, a lytic phage for Mycobacterium smegmatis, are described. The phage is a large DNA phage with a very long tail (240 nm). A study of its DNA revealed 3 interesting features. After denaturation the DNA molecule yields 2 strands of different buoyant densities. The native DNA has unusual physical properties: its buoyant density in CsCl is very low (1.654 g/cm3), its sedimentation rate is lower than expected for the MW, its thermal stability at low ionic strength is high. The DNA (in its native form or after reannealing) is resistant to various [EcoRI, HaeIII, AluI, HindIII and HpaII] restriction endonucleases.