The Tail of Bacteriophage T4 is Shown Before (left) and After (right) Binding to a Host Cell (IMAGE)

Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne

The Tail of Bacteriophage T4 is Shown Before (left) and After (right) Binding to a Host Cell

Caption

The tail of bacteriophage T4 is shown before (left) and after (right) binding to a host cell. Upon attachment to the bacterium, the bacteriophage pierces the host cell envelope and injects its genomic material into this cell, ensuring novel bacteriophages can be produced. Each protein is labeled with a unique color. The model contains more than 1.3 million atoms (not counting hydrogens). The structure and transformation of the baseplate (black rectangle) has been described in atomic detail.

Credit

Nicholas M. I. Taylor (EPFL)

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