Phage as agents of lateral gene transfer
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 9, 2026

Phage Phenomics: Physiological Approaches to Characterize Novel Viral Proteins
Published on: June 11, 2015
Carlos Canchaya1, Ghislain Fournous, Sandra Chibani-Chennoufi
1Nestlé Research Centre, CH-1000 Lausanne 26, Vers-chez-les-Blanc, Switzerland.
Abstract:
When establishing lysogeny, temperate phages integrate their genome as a prophage into the bacterial chromosome. Prophages thus constitute in many bacteria a substantial part of laterally acquired DNA. Some prophages contribute lysogenic conversion genes that are of selective advantage to the bacterial host. Occasionally, phages are also involved in the lateral transfer of other mobile DNA elements or bacterial DNA. Recent advances in the field of genomics have revealed a major impact by phages on bacterial chromosome evolution.
Related Concept Videos
Lytic Cycle of Bacteriophages
Lysogenic Cycle of Bacteriophages
Transduction
Viral Replication: Lysogenic Cycle
DNA Bacteriophages
Bacteriophages of the Human Virome

