DNA arrangement in isometric phage heads

Nature. 1977 Aug 18;268(5621):598-602. doi: 10.1038/268598a0.

Abstract

DNA is wound tightly into phage heads in such a way that it tends to form layers concentric with the rigid protein shell. In P22 and wild-type lambda, DNA completely fills the internal volume, with a highly uniform local packing of adjacent segments; in lambda deletion mutants containing less than a full genome, the local packing distance increases correspondingly.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Chromosome Deletion
  • Coliphages / ultrastructure*
  • DNA, Viral*
  • Mutation
  • Nucleic Acid Conformation*
  • Salmonella Phages / ultrastructure*
  • Thermodynamics
  • X-Ray Diffraction

Substances

  • DNA, Viral