Phage attaches to the bacterial cell surface by its:

Explanation

The attachment of a bacteriophage's tail to its host is a highly specific process that initiates infection. The long tail fibres of the phage first recognise and bind to particular receptor molecules present on the bacterial cell surface, such as proteins, lipopolysaccharides, or teichoic acids. This initial contact stabilises the phage and allows the short tail fibres or baseplate to firmly anchor to the host. Once anchored, the tail sheath contracts, driving the tail tube through the bacterial cell wall and membrane. This creates a passageway through which the viral genetic material is injected into the host cytoplasm, beginning the infection cycle.