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J Virol. 1973 December; 12(6): 1548-1559
Copyright © 1973 American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Antigenic Properties of Bacteriophage 29 Structural Proteins

Department of Microbiology and School of Dentistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455

ABSTRACT

Serological methods and electron microscopy were used to study the structural proteins of the small Bacillus subtilis bacteriophage 29. This virus has a large number of fibers attached at both ends of its prolate head. A complex neck assembly is comprised of 12 symmetrically arranged appendages as the outer component. Head fibers, neck appendages, and the head surface bind anti-29 antibodies. Immune sera absorbed with defective lysates of suppressor-sensitive (sus) mutants have been used to determine the genetic control of neck appendages production. Studies on the serum-blocking power of lysates defective in different tail components showed that appendages contain the main serum-blocking protein. This finding suggests an essential role of the neck appendages in phage adsorption or DNA injection.