Bacteriophages inhibit degradation of abnormal proteins in E. coli.

On infection of Escherichia coli cells by bacteriophages T4, T5 or T7, the degradation of E. coli protein fragments and abnormal proteins is inhibited. Normal E. coli proteins, however, continue to be degraded at their usual rates. T4 early proteins (s) is needed to inhibit the turnover of abnormal proteins in T4-infected E. coli cells.