Baseplate structural protein gp6 is located next to the tail tube and is an intermediate (or inner) baseplate protein involved in tail assembly. Two molecules of gp6 form a complex with gp25 and gp7 which is involved sheath contraction [1-3]. This domain has been described as C-terminal domain I, and adopts a 2-layer beta-sandwich fold.

1: The structure of gene product 6 of bacteriophage T4, the hinge-pin of the baseplate. Aksyuk AA, Leiman PG, Shneider MM, Mesyanzhinov VV, Rossmann MG; Structure. 2009;17:800-808. PMID:19523898

2: Role of bacteriophage T4 baseplate in regulating assembly and infection. Yap ML, Klose T, Arisaka F, Speir JA, Veesler D, Fokine A, Rossmann MG; Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2016;113:2654-2659. PMID:26929357

3: Structure of the T4 baseplate and its function in triggering sheath contraction. Taylor NM, Prokhorov NS, Guerrero-Ferreira RC, Shneider MM, Browning C, Goldie KN, Stahlberg H, Leiman PG; Nature. 2016;533:346-352. PMID:27193680