Bacteriophage lambda stabilization by auxiliary protein gpD: Timing, location, and mechanism of attachment determined by cryo-EM
We report the cryo-EM structure of bacteriophage lambda and the mechanism for stabilizing the 20-angstrom-thick capsid containing the dsDNA genome. The crystal structure of the HK97 bacteriophage capsid fits most of the T = 7 lambda particle density with only minor adjustment. A prominent surface feature at the 3-fold axes corresponds to the cementing protein gpD, which is necessary for stabilizat