More information: Rafael Ayala et al, Nearly complete structure of bacteriophage DT57C reveals architecture of head-to-tail interface and lateral tail fibers, Nature Communications (2023).

All bacteriophages are composed of a nucleic acid molecule that is surrounded by a protein structure. A bacteriophage attaches itself to a susceptible bacterium and infects the host cell.

For example, a recent simple study of 92 showerheads and 36 toothbrushes from American bathrooms found more than 600 types of bacterial viruses, commonly called bacteriophages or phages.

"This kind of beautiful, wrinkled structure is ubiquitous in nature ... bacteria in water from commercial cooling towers. Bacteriophages are re-emerging as treatments for many forms of infection ...