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Phage sequences in bacterial genomes
Spreading the tools of death
Critical role of tail fibers
Host specificity is generally conferred by the tail fibers of the viral particle. The gene encoding the tail fibers of phage 933W is known -- it's a 999-nucleotide gene called L0121.
One might think that by studying the characteristics of the tail fibers and determining the range of bacterial hosts the fibers can bind to, we could circumscribe the group of bacteria to which Shiga toxin could be easily transferred.
Unfortunately, things aren't so simple.
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