ABSTRACT
In contrast to the three classical necessary-and-sufficient phage genes: maturation, coat, and replicase, the lysis gene has no permanent size and position within the phage genome. This chapter describes the instructive story of the lysis gene discovery and presents rather symbolic homology of the RNA phage lysis genes. The lysis mechanism of the Levivirus members-encoded lysins is described by the up-to-date progress and compared with the lysis mechanism provoked by the A2 protein of the Allolevivirus genus. The concept of the protein antibiotics is presented in connection with the Levivirus-induced lysins. Other tricky applications of the MS2 lysis gene, such as production of bacterial ghosts, are compiled.
