Bacteriophage T4 Head: Structure, Assembly, and Genome Packaging.

ABSTRACT: Bacteriophage (phage) T4 has served as an extraordinary model to elucidate biological structures and mechanisms. Recent discoveries on the T4 head (capsid) structure, portal vertex, and genome packaging add a significant body of new literature to phage biology. Head structures in unexpanded and expanded conformations show dramatic domain movements, structural remodeling, and a ~70% increase in inner volume while creating high-affinity binding sites for the outer decoration proteins Soc and Hoc. Small changes in intercapsomer interactions modulate angles between capsomer planes, leading to profound alterations in head length. The in situ cryo-EM structure of the symmetry-mismatched portal vertex shows the remarkable structural morphing of local regions of the portal protein, allowing simila

SUBMITTER: Rao VB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9958956 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature