VIRION
Non-enveloped, head-tail structure. The capsid is icosahedral, about 50 nm in diameter. The non-contractile tail is about 200 nm in length with a long central fiber.
GENOME
Linear, dsDNA genome of about 36-40 kb, containing about 53 genes.
GENE EXPRESSION
REPLICATION
CYTOPLASMIC
- Adsorption: The phage attaches to target cell adhesion receptors
- 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.
- Transcription and translation of late genes
- Assembly of an empty procapsid and packaging of the genome.
- Viral tail fiber assembly and viral tail assembly.
- Mature virions are released from the cell by lysis.