tail fibers

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Tail Fibers

Description:

Tail fibers refer to the thread-like projections extending from the tail region of a bacteriophage, a type of virus that infects bacteria. These fibers play a crucial role in the attachment of the bacteriophage to specific receptor sites on the host bacterium's surface.

Senses:

Noun - Thread-like projections on a bacteriophage's tail region.

Usage:

1. The tail fibers of the bacteriophage enabled it to specifically recognize and bind to the receptor sites on the bacterial cells.

2. The flexible nature of the tail fibers allowed the bacteriophage to exhibit a wide range of host specificity.

Sample Sentences:

The bacteriophage's tail fibers recognized the outer membrane protein of the host bacterium, ensuring successful infection.
Due to their crucial role in the initial stages of infection, tail fibers are often studied to understand the mechanisms of bacteriophage attachment.
The bacteriophage with mismatched tail fibers failed to attach to the host bacterium, indicating the importance of a specific recognition.