THE BACTERIAL ATTACHMENT SITE OF THE TEMPERATE RHIZOBIUM PHAGE 16-3 OVERLAPS THE 3' END OF A PUTATIVE PROLINE TRANSFER-RNA GENE

Bacteriophage 16-3 inserts its genome into the chromosome of Rhizobium meliloti strain 41 (Rm41) by site-specific recombination. The DNA regions around the bacterial attachment site (attB) and one of the hybrid attachment sites bordering the integrated prophage (attL) were cloned and their nucleotide sequences determined. We demonstrated that the 51 bp region, where the phage and bacterial DNA sequences are identical, is active as a target site for phage integration. Furthermore it overlaps the 3' end of a putative proline tRNA gene. This gene shows 79% similartiy to the corresponding proline tRNA-like genomic target sequence of certain integrative plasmids in Actinomycetes.