Structure and Analysis of R1 and R2 Pyocin Receptor-Binding Fibers.

The R-type pyocins are high-molecular weight bacteriocins produced by some strains of to specifically kill other strains of the same species. Structurally, the R-type pyocins are similar to "simple" contractile tails, such as those of phage P2 and Mu. The pyocin recognizes and binds to its target with the help of fibers that emanate from the baseplate structure at one end of the particle.