Bacteriophage - The Devourer of Bacteria / Single Project

Media Details

Media ID: SYM0055
Client: Scientific
Created on: 2006-07-12
Published on: 2014-10-01
Dimensions: 3000 x 1500 pixels

Type: Illustration

Audiences: Scientific

Keywords: bacteriophage, virus, bacterium, bacteria, infect, infection, replicate, replication, T4, lambda, phage

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  • Bacteriophage - The Devourer of Bacteria

Description

The bacteriophage is a virus that infects and replicates within a bacterium. In general, the DNA (or RNA) genome of the bacteriophage is encapsulated by a protein capsid. In this illustration, we have captured a fully-extended and free Enterobacteria phage T4, which infects Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria. Its capsid is icosahedral and its long tail is hollow so that it can transfer its nucleic acid into the host after attachment, in turn infecting the host and allowing it to replicate via the lytic lifecycle.

References

Structure, assembly, and DNA packaging of the bacteriophage T4 head. Black LW, Rao VB. Adv Virus Res. 2012;82:119-5

The bacteriophage T4 DNA injection machine. Rossmann MG, Mesyanzhinov VV, Arisaka F, Leiman PG. Curr Opin Struct Biol. 2004 Apr;14(2):171-80

Structure and morphogenesis of bacteriophage T4. Leiman PG, Kanamaru S, Mesyanzhinov VV, Arisaka F, Rossmann MG. Cell Mol Life Sci. 2003 Nov;60(11):2356-70