Tail fibers are elongated protein structures found on the tail of certain bacteriophages that play a crucial role in the virus's ability to attach to and infect bacterial host cells. These fibers extend from the tail and facilitate specific interactions with receptors on the bacterial surface, ensuring successful penetration and subsequent injection of the viral genome into the host cell. The structure and composition of tail fibers can vary among different bacteriophage families, impacting their host specificity and infection mechanisms.
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