Unraveling the Mystery of the 'Rapunzel' Virus' Long Tail

The bacteriophage P74-26, also known as the 'Rapunzel' virus, has the longest and most stable tail of any known virus. Scientists have discovered that the virus's tail is what allows it to find and puncture one of the toughest bacteria on Earth, Thermus thermophilus, in inhospitable environments such as bubbling hot springs. The virus's tail relies on half the number of building blocks as other bacteriophages, which makes it more stable at high temperatures. Researchers plan to genetically alter the virus's tail length to see how it might change its interactions with bacteria.