Index >> Bacteriophages - Part One >> Tail Fibres of Phage T4

Tail Fibres of Phage T4 -

The products of six genes are required for tail fibre assembly and the products of two other genes for attachment of the completed fibre to the particle. Each tail fibre is composed of two halves named A and BC for their antigenic properties.

The proximal half fibre (antigen A) is assembled separately from two molecules of gp34. The distal half fibre begins as a short fibre (56 nm) composed of two molecules of gp37. This gp37 dimer is known as antigen C. The dimer is lengthened by the addition of two molecules of gp36 to give a 69 nm half-fibre called antigen BG.