What is the structure of a T4 bacteriophage?

What is the structure of a T4 bacteriophage?

The bacteriophage T4 capsid is an elongated icosahedron, 120 nm long and 86 nm wide, and is built with three essential proteins; gp23*, which forms the hexagonal capsid lattice, gp24*, which forms pentamers at eleven of the twelve vertices, and gp20, which forms the unique dodecameric portal vertex through which DNA …

What type of virus is bacteriophage T4?

Escherichia virus T4 is a species of bacteriophages that infect Escherichia coli bacteria. It is a double-stranded DNA virus in the subfamily Tevenvirinae from the family Myoviridae….

Escherichia virus T4
Family: Myoviridae
Genus: Tequatrovirus
Species: Escherichia virus T4
Strains

How many genes are in T4 bacteriophage?

T4 has a total of 289 probable protein-encoding genes, 8 tRNA genes, and at least 2 other genes that encode small, stable RNAs of unknown function.

What is the life cycle of a T4 bacteriophage?

T4 is capable of undergoing only a lytic lifecycle and not the lysogenic lifecycle. The T4 Phage initiates an E. coli infection by recognizing cell surface receptors of the host with its long tail fibers (LTF). A recognition signal is sent through the LTFs to the baseplate.

What is the structure of a bacteriophage?

All bacteriophages are composed of a nucleic acid molecule that is surrounded by a protein structure. A bacteriophage attaches itself to a susceptible bacterium and infects the host cell. Eventually, new bacteriophages assemble and burst out of the bacterium in a process called lysis.

What is bacteriophage explain its structure?

Bacteriophage Structure The bacteriophage consists of a polyhedral head, a short collar and a helical tail. Head- The head consists of 2000 capsomeres with double-stranded DNA enclosed within. Tail- The tail consists of an inner hollow tube which is surrounded by a contractile sheath with 24 annular rings.

What is the structure of bacteriophage?

What is the function of T4 bacteriophage?

Bacteriophage T4 consists of a head for protecting its genome and a sheathed tail for inserting its genome into a host. The tail terminates with a multiprotein baseplate that changes its conformation from a “high-energy” dome-shaped to a “low-energy” star-shaped structure during infection.

How does T4 bacteriophage reproduce?

T4 bacteriophages reproduce via a lytic life cycle. Without their cell-puncturing device T4 bacteriophages would be unable to introduce their DNA into the cell of a host system. The lytic cycle allows the T4 bacteriophage to transform a host cell into a replication machine.

What is the genetic material in the T4 bacteriophage?

The T4 bacteriophage belongs to a family of viruses known as T-phages also referred to as lytic phages because they always lyse and kill the host bacterium cell. T-phages have a head known as a capsid that contains double stranded DNA as their genetic material.

What are the two main structures of a bacteriophage?

A bacteriophage has two main structures: a DNA molecule and a — coat. In their first experiment, Hershey and Chase tagged bacteriophages with — sulfur. In their second experiment, Hershey and Chase tagged bacteriophages with — phosphorus.

What is the structure and function of bacteriophage?

The tailed phages have three major components: a capsid where the genome is packed, a tail that serves as a pipe during infection to secure transfer of genome into host cell and a special adhesive system (adsorption apparatus) at the very end of the tail that will recognise the host cell and penetrate its wall.

What does T4 indicate in T4 bacteriophage?

Escherichia virus T4 is a species of bacteriophages that infect Escherichia coli bacteria. It is a double-stranded DNA virus in the subfamily Tevenvirinae from the family Myoviridae. T4 is capable of undergoing only a lytic lifecycle and not the lysogenic lifecycle. The species was formerly named T-even bacteriophage, a name which also encompasses, among other strains, Enterobacteria phage T2, Enterobacteria phage T4 and Enterobacteria phage T6. Bacteriophage means to “eat bacteria”, and phages

What does bacteriophage T4 mean?

T-4 bacteriophage is a bacteriophage that infects E. coli bacteria . Its double-stranded DNA genome is about 169 kbp long and is held in an icosahedral head, also known as a capsid. T4 is a relatively large phage, at approximately 90 nm wide and 200 nm long (most phages range from 25 to 200 nm in length).

What is the main part of T4 phage?

Most known bacteriophages contain dsDNA genomes. The head of bacteriophage T4 is attached to a helical tail through a collar (neck). Tails contain a series of tail fibers and tail pins at the end. These specialized syringe-like structures bind to receptors on the cell surface.

What is the common name for T4 bacteriophage?

T4 Bacteriophage or simply phages are the type of viruses which attacks bacteria. The bacteriophages are among the most complex viruses. They have a complex shape like a tadpole i.e., bacteriophage T4, which attacks Escherichia coli (bacterium).

Posted In Q&A