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Bacteriophage-like particles associated with the gene transfer agent of Methanococcus voltae PS

Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA¹
Jet Propulsion Laboratory 125-224, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA²

Author for correspondence: Giuseppe Bertani. Fax +1 818 393 4057. e-mail gbertani{at}lalc.k12.ca.us

The methanogenic archaeobacterium Methanococcus voltae (strain PS) is known to produce a filterable, DNase-resistant agent (called VTA, for voltae transfer agent), which carries very small fragments (4400 bp) of bacterial DNA and is able to transduce bacterial genes between derivatives of the strain. Examination by electron microscopy of two preparations of VTA that were concentrated and partially purified by different methods showed virus-like particles with isometric heads, about 40 nm in diameter, and with 61 nm long tails. These particles co-sedimented with the minute bacteriophage X174 in a sucrose density gradient.

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