describe structure of becteriophage
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Answer:
T4 bacteriophages are approximately 200 nm long and 80-100 nm wide. Size of other phages is of 20 – 200nm in length. All bacteriophages contain head and tail part. Head part is also termed ad capsid which composed of one or different types of proteins. Genetic materials are present inside and protected by capsid. Tails are attached to the capsid in most of the phages. These are hollow tube like structure through which viruses inject their genetic material inside the host during infection. Tail part is more complex structure in phages. In T4 phage, tail part is surrounded by a contractile sheath and basal plate like structure present at the end of tail from which certain tail fibres are attached. Tail fibres help in attachment phages to bacteria and contractile sheath helps in contraction during infection. Some of the phagesdo not contain tail fibres at the end. Certain other structures are involved in these phages for binding to the bacterium during infection.
