Synthesis of bacteriophage M13-specific proteins in a DNA-dependent cell-free system. II. In vitro synthesis of biologically active gene 5 protein.

It is shown that gene 5 protein of bacteriophage M13 is one of the major proteins synthesized in vitro under the direction of M13 replicative-form DNA. By means of DNA-cellulose chromatography, this protein has been purified to homogeneity and its biological characteristics have been compared with those of its native counterpart. Like native gene 5 protein, the purified, in vitro-synthesized protein binds tightly and selectively to single-stranded, but not to double-stranded, DNAs. These results suggest that truly functional gene 5 protein is made in the cell-free system.