F-pilus

Malmborg A-C, Soderlind E, Frost L, Borrebaeck CAK, Selective phage infection mediated by epitope expression on F pilus, J. Mol. Biol., 273 544-551, 1997. 

The phage protein p3 is involved in bacterial infection and is present in three to five copies. It is responsible for binding to the F pilus and has a tripartite struc-... 

F Pilus A bridge formed from an FI cell to an F2 cell for conjugation. 

F Plasmid Fertility plasmid containing genes direction synthesis of proteins that form an F pilus (sex pilus, or conjugation pilus)... 

A group of the most commonly used phages are the collectively called Ff phages (Ml3, fd, fl), because of their filamentous structure and almost total dependence on the F-pilus to infect their Escherichia coli host (Russel et al., 1988). Unlike the lytic phage that causes cell lysis when released from the host, Ff phage does... 

Fig. 6. Ultrathin section through E. coli HfrH, revealing the F-pilus insertion at the membrane adhesion zone. The pilus is labeled with bacteriophage MS2. (60,000x)...

Fig. 7. Sites of F-pilus insertion at adhesion zones. Left A lysing cell. Right The pilus seems to interrupt the profile of the outer membrane. (200,000x)...

Our studies on the adhesion zones of E. coli and S. anatum indicate that these specialized areas are intimately connected with a number of important functions of the bacterial-cell envelope. Bacteriophage infection, F-pilus production, insertion of newly synthesized LPS, and possibly killing by phage ghosts appear to take place at a limited number of sites which correspond to the zones of adhesion between the outer and inner membranes seen in plasmolyzed cells. 

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