The vast majority of bacteriophages (phages) - bacterial viruses - present a tail that allows host recognition, cell wall perforation and safe channelling of the viral DNA from the capsid to the cytoplasm of the infected bacterium. The majority of tailed phages bears a long flexible tail (Siphoviridae) at the distal end of which a tip complex, often called baseplate, harbours one or more Receptor Binding Protein·s (RBPs). Interaction between the RBPs and the host surface triggers cell wall perforation and DNA ejection, but little is known on these mechanisms for Siphoviridae1. After preliminary data obtained by cryo-electron tomography on phage T5 upon interaction with FhuA reconstituted into liposomes, we now aim to study the channel formed by phage T5 upon interaction with E. coli mini-skinny cells, by cryo-electron tomography. Subtomogram averaging should shed light on the structure of the channel and the nature of host interacting partners.