The protein shell (or "head") of a phage. The phage's genetic material is contained within this structure. Also known as: Head

The ATP-driven motor that packages genetic material into the capsid of the phage. In some phages, the terminase is comprised of two genes: that encoding the large subunit, and that encoding the small subunit. In other phages, only one terminase gene is identifiable. In flexible tailed phages with defined end genomes, the terminase is frequently loc [..]

A virus that infects bacteria. See 'Phage' for note on use of singular and plural forms. Also known as: Phage

The burst size of a phage is the average number of phage particles liberated when an infected bacterium is lysed. Burst size differs from phage to phage, and can depend on the length of the latent period (the time between infection and lysis). It is likely that burst size has an effect on plaque morphology. Burst sizes for mycobacteriophages are th [..]

The protein shell (or "capsid") of a phage. Also known as: Capsid

A protein that creates a membrane spanning channel, and aids in the release of phage particles from an infected cell. Frequently found near lysin genes in phage genomes, holins are characterized by transmembrane domains.

Used to refer to a group of phages whose lysogens are immune to infection by other members of the group. E.g.: Lysogens made by the phage Cjw1 cannot be infected by phage Porky, and vice-versa. Cjw1 and Porky are thus homoimmune. See also: Lysogen

A recombinase that binds to the AttP and AttB sites between the phage genome and host genome, or AttL and AttR sites in a lysogen. Integrases induce homologous DNA recombination between the two sites to either integrate the phage genome into the bacterial genome or (with the help of an RDF or excise) remove the prophage from the bacterial genome. M [..]

A protein that degrades the cell wall and aids in the release of phage particles from an infected cell. These proteins are multi-domain and highly mosaic within the mycobacteriophages. Mycobacteriophages frequently have two lysins: Lysin A and Lysin B.

A lysogen is a bacterium carrying a prophage. Usually, although not always, the prophage is integrated site-specifically into the host genome although for some phages integration results from transposition. In some examples, the prophage may be propagated extrachromosomally, either as a circular or as a linear genome. Phage lytic genes are not acti [..]