VIRION
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Nonenveloped, head-tail structure. The prolate head is about 56 nm in length and 41 nm in width with a collar. The tail is cross-banded with a length of 86-111 nm and 8 nm in width. Tail has short fibers.
GENOME
Linear, dsDNA genome of about 22 kb with cos sites, containing about 40 genes.
GENE EXPRESSION
REPLICATION
CYTOPLASMIC
- Adsorption: The phage attaches to target cell adhesion receptors through its tail fibers.
- Viral exolysin degrades host cell wall locally.
- Ejection of the viral DNA into host cell cytoplasm by long flexible tail ejection system.
- Transcription and translation of early genes.
- Replication of genomic DNA by DNA strand displacement replication.
- Transcription and translation of late genes
- Assembly of an empty procapsid and packaging of the genome.
- Viral tail fibers assembly and viral tail assembly.
- Mature virions are released from the cell by lysis.