Structural characterization of the tail fiber protein of phage K50 that infects Klebsiella pneumoniae

Phage K50 infects Klebsiella pneumoniae degrading its extracelullar capsule. We have
produced a recombiant tail fiber protein from phage K50 composed of 1314 residues that
contains a chaperone domain at the C-terminal. Interestingly, an experimental structure
for this type of tail fiber has not been described yet. Surprisingly, this tail fiber does not
show depolimerase activity, thus, understanding its structure will help us to understand
phage attaching and recognition mechanism to the surface of bacterial host cells.