VIRION
Enveloped. Rod-shaped. The capsid is about 24 nm in diameter and about 2000 nm in length. The terminus structure is composed of three tails, (Source: Vestergaard et al. Pubmed).
GENOME
Linear dsDNA genome of 38 to 40.5 kb. Extremities of the DNA are modified in an unknown manner. Encodes for 58 to 67 ORF.
GENE EXPRESSION
The genome is organized in operons.
REPLICATION
CYTOPLASMIC
- Adsorption: the phage attaches to target cell
- Injection: viral DNA is injected in host cell cytoplasm
- Transcription and translation of early genes
- Replication of genomic DNA
- Transcription and translation of late genes
- Genomic DNA is packaged in new virions
- Mature virions are released from the cell