Abstract
In the late stage of infection, the morphogenetic reaction of bacteriophage ∅X174 is switched from DNA replication mode to phage formation mode by the function of ∅X174 gene C protein, gene J protein, and prohead. During the phage synthesis, structural changes of the capsid-related proteins occur. The gene B protein of prohead is cleaved at a specific site by a novel protease which has been isolated from the outer membrane of Escherichia coli cells. Cross-linking experiments indicate that the rearrangement of gene F major coat proteins occurs during DNA packaging.
