Phage Assembly Pathways - to the Memory of Lindsay Black

Dear Colleagues,

Most fascinating in protein biochemistry are the complex assembly systems that we know from phage and virus particles. Phage assembly occurs within the prokaryotic host cell and involves replicated viral proteins and genetic material being transformed into infectious progeny. The assembly of each bacteriophage particle results from a self-triggered process that is exquisitely controlled by a series of conformational cascades. In general, the assembly process is initiated by an oligomeric protein that recruits defined partner proteins in consecutive steps creating an assembly product of increasing complexity. The driving mechanism for this process is hidden in the intrinsic conformational flexibility of each protein which drives the assembly reaction forward. Therefore, numbers of phage assembly steps have been able to be reconstituted in vitro without any energetic input from the host.

Much of what we currently know regarding phage assembly is derived from the study of the classic phage genetic systems, such as that of T4. Yet, even for such model systems there remain major unresolved questions. For example, for the many of the more recently discovered phages, there is a myriad of questions regarding how their virions assemble. To address these questions an impressive array of experimental approaches available. These include the recent advent of novel technologies such as high-resolution tomography and cryo-electron microscopy which when combined with biochemical methods allow us to follow these processes in molecular detail and possibly even at an atomic resolution.

This special issue is dedicated to Lindsay W. Black. Lindsay was a great leader in the field of phage assembly. Sadly, Lindsay passed away earlier this year. For over 40 years, Lindsay dissected the molecular processes by which the T4 head assembles in his laboratory at the University of Maryland. Using the T4 system, Lindsay became a central figure in the field of DNA packaging and he continued to make contributions to this field for most of his career. Lindsay was also fascinated by other aspects of phage assembly and replication and made significant contributions to various other areas, including virus structure, and prohead assembly and maturation.  Lindsay was a brilliant scientist and a true friend to many. To honor Lindsay’s legacy, we welcome submissions to this special issue that focuses on Lindsay’s research passion, phage assembly.

Prof. Dr. Andreas Kuhn
Dr. Julie Thomas
Guest Editors

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