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FINE STRUCTURE OF THE BACTERIOPHAGE ATTACHMENT PROCESS

Division of Life Sciences, University of California, Riverside, California

ABSTRACT

COTA-ROBLES, E. H. (University of California, Riverside) AND M. D. COFFMAN. Fine structure of the bacteriophage attachment process. J. Bacteriol. 86:266–273. 1963.—Electron microscopic examination of cells of Escherichia coli infected with coliphage T₂ suggested that the tail spikes of the virus attach to the cell wall. This is followed by a local disorganization of the cell wall and contraction of the virus tail resulting in the approximation of the virus to the cell. Ejection of the viral contents is followed by a retraction of the attached viral ghost from the infected cell. The bacterial cells reveal a fibrillar nuclear structure which in some cases surrounds material that appears to be of cytoplasmic origin.