Characterization of recognition sites on bacteriophage HP1c1 DNA which interact with the DNA uptake system of Haemophilus influenzae Rd

The 32.4-kb genome of the Haemophilus influenzae bacteriophage HP1c1 contains at least twelve sites, each conferring high affinity for the DNA uptake system of transformable H. influenzae Rd. Five of these high-affinity sites have been located and their nucleotide sequences determined. Three sites contained a contiguous 9-bp sequence identical to the first nine residues of the 11-bp site previously identified as conferring high affinity for the H. influenzae transformation receptor to DNA fragments. The remaining two sites contained complete 11-bp sequences. In contrast, an HP1c1 restriction fragment containing a sequence identical to the final nine residues of the 11-bp uptake site exhibits only a low affinity for the DNA uptake system. An 8-bp sequence consisting of the first eight residues of the 11-bp site was 1% as active as the longer, high-affinity sites. Thus the first 9-bp of the 11-bp site are sufficient to direct high-affinity uptake, while the first 8-bp or the distal 9-bp are not. These results provide an initial assessment of the relative contributions of the individual residues constituting the 11-bp site to the apparent affinity of DNA fragments for the receptor of Haemophilus transformation.