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Related Concept Videos

DNA Bacteriophages01:26

DNA Bacteriophages

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Bacteriophages, or phages, are viruses that specifically infect bacteria, utilizing their genetic material to hijack host cellular machinery for replication. DNA bacteriophages employ single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) or double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) genomes. These phages exhibit diverse replication strategies and host interactions, influencing their ecological roles and applications in biotechnology and medicine.ssDNA BacteriophagesssDNA phages, with their small genomes, utilize unique strategies to...
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Viral Replication: Lysogenic Cycle01:16

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The lysogenic cycle is a crucial viral replication strategy that allows bacteriophages to persist within host cells without immediately destroying them. This process is primarily observed in temperate phages, such as bacteriophage lambda (λ), which infects Escherichia coli. The cycle allows the viral genome to persist across bacterial generations while keeping host cells viable.Integration of the Viral GenomeUpon infection, bacteriophage lambda attaches to the bacterial surface and injects...
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Viral Replication: Lytic Cycle01:20

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Bacteriophages, or phages, are viruses that specifically infect bacteria. Among them, T-even bacteriophages, such as T4, exhibit a well-characterized lytic replication cycle in Escherichia coli (E. coli). This process ensures the rapid proliferation of the virus while ultimately leading to the destruction of the bacterial host.Attachment and DNA InjectionThe infection process begins with the recognition and binding of the T4 phage to the E. coli cell surface. Tail fibers of the phage...
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Transduction01:16

Transduction

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Among the three main modes of HGT—transformation, conjugation, and transduction—transduction is unique in that it is mediated by bacteriophages, or bacterial viruses.Transduction occurs in two ways. Generalized transduction occurs during the lytic cycle of a bacteriophage infection. In this process, bacteriophages infect bacterial cells, replicate within them, and ultimately cause cell lysis, releasing newly assembled virions. Occasionally, random fragments of the bacterial genome...
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Lytic Cycle of Bacteriophages01:30

Lytic Cycle of Bacteriophages

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Bacteriophages, also known as phages, are specialized viruses that infect bacteria. A key characteristic of phages is their distinctive “head-tail” morphology. A phage begins the infection process (i.e., lytic cycle) by attaching to the outside of a bacterial cell. Attachment is accomplished via proteins in the phage tail that bind to specific receptor proteins on the outer surface of the bacterium. The tail injects the phage’s DNA genome into the bacterial cytoplasm. In the...
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Lysogenic Cycle of Bacteriophages00:43

Lysogenic Cycle of Bacteriophages

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In contrast to the lytic cycle, phages infecting bacteria via the lysogenic cycle do not immediately kill their host cell. Instead, they combine their genome with the host genome, allowing the bacteria to replicate the phage DNA along with the bacterial genome. The incorporated copy of the phage genome is called the prophage. Some prophages can re-activate and enter the lytic cycle. This often occurs in response to a perturbation, such as DNA damage, but can also transpire in the absence of...
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Author Spotlight: Efficiently Eliminating Bacteriophages from Infected Salmonella Cultures Using Lipopolysaccharides
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Bacteriophage observations and evolution.

H-W Ackermann1

  • 1Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Laval University, Qc G1K 7P4, Quebec, Canada. ackermann@mcb.ulaval.ca

Research in Microbiology
|June 12, 2003
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Bacteriophages, primarily tailed viruses, dominate bacterial virus research. Tailed phages (Caudovirales) are the oldest and most diverse virus group, with Siphoviridae being the most common type.

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Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Microbiology
  • Electron Microscopy

Background:

  • Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria and archaea.
  • Electron microscopy has been crucial for characterizing viral morphology since 1959.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To classify and analyze the diversity of bacteriophages based on morphological and phylogenetic data.
  • To understand the evolutionary history and distribution of bacteriophages across bacterial and archaeal hosts.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of over 5100 bacteriophage electron micrographs.
  • Classification based on morphological characteristics (e.g., presence and type of tail).
  • Phylogenetic analysis to infer evolutionary relationships.

Main Results:

  • Over 96% of examined bacteriophages possess tails, belonging to the order Caudovirales.
  • Siphoviridae, characterized by long, noncontractile tails, represent 61% of tailed phages.
  • Bacteriophages are polyphyletic, with 11 distinct lines of descent, and tailed phages are the oldest known viral group.

Conclusions:

  • Tailed bacteriophages are the most prevalent and ancient group of viruses.
  • The distribution of bacteriophages reflects their hosts' evolutionary history.
  • Further research into bacteriophage diversity is essential for understanding viral evolution.