Molecular biology

VIRION

Nonenveloped, head-tail structure. Head is about 60-65 nm in diameter. The tail is non-contractile, has 6 prominent tail spikes.

GENOME

Linear, dsDNA genome of about 43 kb encoding for 52 genes.

GENE EXPRESSION

REPLICATION

CYTOPLASMIC

1. Adsorption: the phage attaches to target cell through its tail fibers.
2. Injection: viral DNA is injected in host cell periplasm
3. Transcription and traduction of early genes
4. Replication of genomic DNA
5. Transcription and traduction of late genes
6. Assembly of new virions in host cell cytoplasm
7. Mature virions are released from the cell by lysis