Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

DNA Bacteriophages01:26

DNA Bacteriophages

1.6K
Bacteriophages, or phages, are viruses that specifically infect bacteria, utilizing their genetic material to hijack host cellular machinery for replication. DNA bacteriophages employ single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) or double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) genomes. These phages exhibit diverse replication strategies and host interactions, influencing their ecological roles and applications in biotechnology and medicine.ssDNA BacteriophagesssDNA phages, with their small genomes, utilize unique strategies to...
1.6K
Viral Replication: Lytic Cycle01:20

Viral Replication: Lytic Cycle

2.9K
Bacteriophages, or phages, are viruses that specifically infect bacteria. Among them, T-even bacteriophages, such as T4, exhibit a well-characterized lytic replication cycle in Escherichia coli (E. coli). This process ensures the rapid proliferation of the virus while ultimately leading to the destruction of the bacterial host.Attachment and DNA InjectionThe infection process begins with the recognition and binding of the T4 phage to the E. coli cell surface. Tail fibers of the phage...
2.9K
Lytic Cycle of Bacteriophages01:30

Lytic Cycle of Bacteriophages

80.9K
Bacteriophages, also known as phages, are specialized viruses that infect bacteria. A key characteristic of phages is their distinctive “head-tail” morphology. A phage begins the infection process (i.e., lytic cycle) by attaching to the outside of a bacterial cell. Attachment is accomplished via proteins in the phage tail that bind to specific receptor proteins on the outer surface of the bacterium. The tail injects the phage’s DNA genome into the bacterial cytoplasm. In the...
80.9K
Lysogenic Cycle of Bacteriophages00:43

Lysogenic Cycle of Bacteriophages

70.3K
In contrast to the lytic cycle, phages infecting bacteria via the lysogenic cycle do not immediately kill their host cell. Instead, they combine their genome with the host genome, allowing the bacteria to replicate the phage DNA along with the bacterial genome. The incorporated copy of the phage genome is called the prophage. Some prophages can re-activate and enter the lytic cycle. This often occurs in response to a perturbation, such as DNA damage, but can also transpire in the absence of...
70.3K
Viral Structure00:56

Viral Structure

77.2K
Viruses are extraordinarily diverse in shape and size, but they all have several structural features in common. All viruses have a core that contains a DNA- or RNA-based genome. The core is surrounded by a protective coat of proteins called the capsid. The capsid is composed of subunits called capsomeres. The capsid and genome-containing core are together known as the nucleocapsid.
77.2K
Introduction to Virus01:28

Introduction to Virus

2.9K
Viruses are unique biological entities that blur the boundary between living and non-living systems. Although they lack cellular structure and metabolic processes, they can exhibit characteristics of life when infecting a host. Their defining feature is a nucleic acid core, composed of either DNA or RNA, encapsulated within a protein coat called a capsid. This simple structure allows them to invade host cells and use their machinery for replication efficiently.Viral Structure and...
2.9K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

In situ structures of the portal-neck-tail complex of bacteriophage T4 inform a viral genome positioning mechanism.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

Metagenomic profiling of pigeon faecal microbiota: insights into microbial diversity, pathogens, and antimicrobial resistance genes.

Antonie van Leeuwenhoek·2025
Same author

Structure of a human Rhinovirus complexed with its receptor molecule.

Protein engineering·2024
Same author

Structure of <i>Vibrio</i> Phage XM1, a Simple Contractile DNA Injection Machine.

Viruses·2023
Same author

Near-atomic, non-icosahedrally averaged structure of giant virus Paramecium bursaria chlorella virus 1.

Nature communications·2022
Same author

Structures of a large prolate virus capsid in unexpanded and expanded states generate insights into the icosahedral virus assembly.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2022
Same journal

Applications of lupeol to manage fungal infections: a promising multi-target molecule.

Future microbiology·2026
Same journal

Benzyl isothiocyanate-loaded chitosan beads: a novel strategy to combat biofilm formation by <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> and <i>Escherichia coli</i>.

Future microbiology·2026
Same journal

<i>Mycobacterium colombiense</i> isolation among people living with human immunodeficiency virus: a case series.

Future microbiology·2026
Same journal

Thwarting the biothreat in the 21st century: means and methods.

Future microbiology·2026
Same journal

The oral-respiratory interface: modulation of <i>Streptococcus pneumoniae</i> serotype adhesion by the periodontal pathogen <i>Porphyromonas gingivalis</i> W83.

Future microbiology·2026
Same journal

Global One Health genomics identify conserved virulence and mobile resistance in the opportunistic pathogen <i>Staphylococcus saprophyticus</i>.

Future microbiology·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 19, 2026

Author Spotlight: Investigating Bacteriophage-Induced Immune Responses in Gnotobiotic Mice
08:46

Author Spotlight: Investigating Bacteriophage-Induced Immune Responses in Gnotobiotic Mice

Published on: January 26, 2024

2.9K

Structure and function of bacteriophage T4.

Moh Lan Yap1, Michael G Rossmann

  • 1Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, 240 S. Martin Jischke Drive, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2032, USA.

Future Microbiology
|December 18, 2014
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Bacteriophage T4, a complex tailed phage, has its assembly pathways detailed. Structural studies reveal how protein interactions control its shape changes during infection of Escherichia coli.

Keywords:
T4 infectionassemblybacteriophage T4baseplatecontractile tailgenome packaging

More Related Videos

Kinetics of Lagging-strand DNA Synthesis In Vitro by the Bacteriophage T7 Replication Proteins
08:14

Kinetics of Lagging-strand DNA Synthesis In Vitro by the Bacteriophage T7 Replication Proteins

Published on: February 25, 2017

7.9K
Phage Phenomics: Physiological Approaches to Characterize Novel Viral Proteins
09:40

Phage Phenomics: Physiological Approaches to Characterize Novel Viral Proteins

Published on: June 11, 2015

13.0K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Apr 19, 2026

Author Spotlight: Investigating Bacteriophage-Induced Immune Responses in Gnotobiotic Mice
08:46

Author Spotlight: Investigating Bacteriophage-Induced Immune Responses in Gnotobiotic Mice

Published on: January 26, 2024

2.9K
Kinetics of Lagging-strand DNA Synthesis In Vitro by the Bacteriophage T7 Replication Proteins
08:14

Kinetics of Lagging-strand DNA Synthesis In Vitro by the Bacteriophage T7 Replication Proteins

Published on: February 25, 2017

7.9K
Phage Phenomics: Physiological Approaches to Characterize Novel Viral Proteins
09:40

Phage Phenomics: Physiological Approaches to Characterize Novel Viral Proteins

Published on: June 11, 2015

13.0K

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Structural Biology
  • Virology

Background:

  • Bacteriophage T4 is a model organism in the Myoviridae family, known for its complex structure and assembly.
  • T4 phage assembly involves distinct pathways for the head, tail, and long tail fibers, crucial for host interaction.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the assembly pathways of Bacteriophage T4, focusing on its head, tail, and long tail fibers.
  • To understand the structural basis of conformational changes in the T4 tail sheath and baseplate during infection.
  • To investigate protein-protein and protein-nucleic acid interactions governing T4 assembly and infection dynamics.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized X-ray crystallography to determine high-resolution structures of T4 phage components.
  • Employed cryo-electron microscopy to visualize intricate structural details and conformational states.
  • Analyzed protein-protein and protein-nucleic acid interactions critical for phage assembly and function.

Main Results:

  • Detailed the independent assembly pathways for the T4 phage head, tail, and long tail fibers.
  • Provided structural insights into the prolate head encapsidating a 172 kbp dsDNA genome.
  • Characterized the T4 tail structure, including the contractile sheath, baseplate, and host-sensing long tail fibers, and their conformational changes.

Conclusions:

  • Bacteriophage T4 assembly is a complex, multi-pathway process regulated by specific protein interactions.
  • Structural data from X-ray crystallography and cryo-EM are key to understanding T4 phage conformational dynamics during infection.
  • These findings advance our knowledge of viral assembly and host-cell interaction mechanisms in Escherichia coli.