Molecular biology
VIRION
Nonenveloped, head-tail structure. Head is about 54 nm in diameter. The tail is non-contractile and has a collar with 12 appendages. The capsid is icosahedral with a T=3 symmetry.
GENOME
Linear, dsDNA genome of about 16 to 20 kb encoding between 20 and 30 genes.
GENE EXPRESSION
REPLICATION
CYTOPLASMIC
- Adsorption: the phage attaches to target cell through its tail fibers.
- Injection: viral DNA is injected in host cell periplasm
- Transcription and traduction of early genes
- Replication of genomic DNA
- Transcription and traduction of late genes
- Assembly of new virions in host cell cytoplasm
- Mature virions are released from the cell by lysis