[Structural separation of the functional loci of bacteriophage T4 short fibrillae].

Short-tail fibers (STF) of bacteriophage T4 are a polyfunctional protein. STF appears to be a trimer of gene 12 product. The modified trimers, consisting of fragments of gene 12 product with mol mass 45 and 50 Kd, respectively, were isolated by limited proteolysis with trypsin and papain. The isolated trimers retained their bactericidal activity but were unable to complement the fiberless phage particles. The results obtained suggest that STF loci responsible for bactericidal effect are separated from the loci involved in interaction with the base plate.