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Enterobacteria phage T4
Bacteriophages are viruses that exclusively infect bacteria. T4 is the most studied phage, with its iconic lunar-lander shape. It injects its DNA into E. coli, hijacks the cell machinery, and produces ~100-200 copies before bursting the cell. Phages are being explored as alternatives to antibiotics.
Discovered in 1915 (phages in general) by Frederick Twort (UK) & Félix d'Hérelle (France)
Infects E. coli bacteria only — harmless to humans
Used AS treatment — Phage therapy is an alternative to antibiotics for drug-resistant bacterial infections
N/A — beneficial virus used in medicine and research
There are an estimated 10³¹ bacteriophages on Earth — that's more than every other organism combined, including bacteria! They're the most abundant biological entity on the planet.
Elongated icosahedral capsid containing 169 kbp of DNA — one of the largest phage genomes
Contractile sheath that acts like a molecular syringe to inject DNA into bacteria
Complex hexagonal structure at the tail tip that recognizes and attaches to E. coli
Long leg-like structures that recognize specific receptors on the bacterial surface
Short fibers on the baseplate that provide secondary attachment
169,903 base pairs encoding ~289 proteins — packed tightly in the head