Molecular biology

VIRION

Nonenveloped, head-tail structure. The head is about 60 nm in diameter and consists of 72 capsomers. Tails are flexible with short fibers.

GENOME

Linear, dsDNA genome of about 22 kb, containing about 40 genes.

GENE EXPRESSION

REPLICATION

CYTOPLASMIC

1. Adsorption: the phage attaches to target cell trhough its tail fibers.
2. Viral lysozyme degrades cell wall locally
3. Injection: viral DNA is injected in host cell periplasm
4. DNA genome is circularized or integrated into host chromosome
5. Transcription and traduction of early genes
6. Replication of genomic DNA
7. Transcription and traduction of late genes
8. Assembly of new virions in host cell cytoplasm
9. Mature virions are released from the cell by lysis