Media and growth conditions

All in vivo experiments were performed in LB liquid medium (Sigma—Aldrich) supplemented with 10 mM MgSO₄ (phage λ or phage λΔorf63) or with 10 mM MgSO₄ and 10 mM CaCl₂ (phage Φ24_B or phage Φ24_BΔorf63), and with 50 μg/ml ampicillin (if necessary) (Sigma—Aldrich). To stimulate Orf63 protein production from the recombinant pUC18 derivatives, overnight bacterial cultures were diluted 1:100 in fresh LB medium and treated with IPTG (A&A Biotechnology) to a final concentration of 1 mM. Then, host bacteria were grown in aeration condition, achieved by shaking, at 30°C to A₆₀₀ = 0.1 or 0.2 (the optical density of bacterial cells was dependent on the experimental conditions described in the following chapters).