• Smallest gene matches in SPO1 12.5 kb terminal repeat.  The entire units organization is similar to the SPO1 host takeover region.
  • PhageDorf201 matches inside another phage's tape measure protein. Pedulla et al., 2003,report that the tape measure protein sometimes carries signaling domains into the host cell in advance of the DNA.
  • Most of the genes have no identifiable homologues.
  • The whole organization of this region seems like the SPO1 host takeover region in spite of little specific homology.  That is it has very small genes, none far from an excellent host promoter.  This is the first DNA into the cell, and may be adapted for rapid expression of genes to interfere with host defenses.  In SPO1, indeed one function expressed prevents destruction of DNA by a host system.  Hence the entire unit may be organized for expression even as the DNA is destroyed.  That would also explain why such a large terminal repeat in a phage that seems adverse to wasting any space.
  • This region may be a focus of host-phage interaction, and may therefore be highly mosaic due to the coadaptive struggle between the two.  Of course, as long as there are so many genes with no identified homologues, there is no way to tell if most of them come from one well conserved framework or every gene has a different history.