Ke Shi et al. perform a structural and biochemical characterization of the complex formed between Spackle, an early gene product of T4 and the gp5 lysozyme located in the tail of T4, thereby revealing a new mode of inhibition of the well-known lysozyme enzyme. This study provides structural insight into the phenomenon of superinfection exclusion, phenomenon by which bacterial cells infected with a T4 phage become resistant to secondary infections by the same or closely related phages.
- Ke Shi
- Justin T. Oakland
- Hideki Aihara
