Removal of the coat protein of bacteriophages M13 or fd from the exterior of the host after infection

The protein coat of the filamentous DNA-containing bacteriophages M13 and fd could be removed from the exterior of the host cell after successful infection had been initiated. M13 and fd thus behaved similarily to other known Escherichia coli bacteriophages. If the disassembled coat protein subunits were not removed from the surface of the infected cell, they were eventually ingested and utilized by the host and appeared partially in progeny phage.