Origin and direction of replication of bacteriophage 186 DNA.

Intracellular bacteriophage 186 DNA replicates as a single-branched circle during the first round of replication. The free end of the branch is located at a unique position with respect to phage 186 DNA base sequence, and this point should, therefore, correspond to the origin of DNA replication. The position of the growing point has been mapped at various degrees of replication, and found to move unidirectionally from left to right with respect to the denaturation map of phage 186 DNA.A small proportion of the replicating molecules have two linear branches connected to the circle at two different branch points. These structures are consistent with two separate initiations from the same origin, again, with a unidirectional mode of replication. Branch points frequently have a single-stranded connection between the circle and the branch; significant numbers of branch points also possess an extra short single-stranded "whisker" protruding out of the branch point.