The morphogenesis of bacteriophage lambda. I. Purification and characterization of lambda heads and lambda tails
Buchwald, M.; Steed-Glaister, P.; Siminovitch, L.
Virology 42(2): 375-389
1970
ISSN/ISBN: 0042-6822
PMID: 4099070
DOI: 10.1016/0042-6822(70)90281-3
Accession: 068595991
Lambda heads have been purified free of contaminating host and phage material from lysates of 594(λc Itlsus I838). Lambda tails have been similarly purified from lysates of 594(λc Itlsus E815). The measured sedimentation coefficient (s°20,w) and molecular weight of λ heads are 114 and 18 × 106, while those of λ tails are 43 and 6.1 × 106. The amino acid composition of these structures as well as that of ghosts has been measured. A comparison of the amino acid compositions of heads and tails with that of ghosts suggests that a protein component is present in ghosts that is not present in λ heads or λ tails. On the basis of these results and on those presented in the following paper, we have calculated the molecular weight of λ phage particles to be 62 × 106 and to consist of approximately equal amounts of Dna and protein.