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Related Concept Videos

Lytic Cycle of Bacteriophages01:30

Lytic Cycle of Bacteriophages

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 lytic replication...
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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 its...
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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...
Lysogenic Cycle of Bacteriophages00:43

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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...
Bacteriophages of the Human Virome01:23

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Bacteriophages are found throughout the human body. They may even outnumber eukaryotic viruses, forming an important and dynamic component of the human virome. Indeed, phages represent the most abundant viral entities, with densities in the gut reaching up to 10⁹ particles per gram of fecal matter, and many belonging to orders such as Caudovirales and Microviridae, while a substantial proportion remains unclassified as viral “dark matter.”Lysogeny and Genetic ExchangeIn the gut, bacteriophages...

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Precise Phage Mutagenesis with NgTET-Assisted CRISPR-Cas Systems
10:52

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Published on: October 14, 2025

Bacteriophage therapy and the mutant selection window.

Benjamin J Cairns1, Robert J H Payne

  • 1Cancer Epidemiology Unit, University of Oxford, Richard Doll Building, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX37LF, United Kingdom. ben.cairns@ceu.ox.ac.uk

Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy
|October 8, 2008
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Designing effective phage therapies requires matching components to prevent resistant bacteria. High phage dosages are key to successful treatment, avoiding resistance issues seen with antibiotics.

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Area of Science:

  • Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
  • Theoretical Biology
  • Biotechnology

Background:

  • Bacterial resistance to antibiotics is a growing global health crisis.
  • Phage therapy offers a promising alternative but faces challenges in designing effective treatments.
  • Understanding the dynamics of phage-bacteria interactions is crucial for optimizing therapy.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate optimal design strategies for antimicrobial phage therapies.
  • To minimize the emergence of resistant bacteria during phage treatment.
  • To adapt the "mutant selection window" hypothesis for phage therapy.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized kinetic models to simulate phage-bacteria dynamics.
  • Modified the "mutant selection window" hypothesis to incorporate phage replication.
  • Analyzed the impact of phage dosage and component matching in combination therapies.

Main Results:

  • Appropriate matching of phage therapy components is essential to prevent bacterial resistance.
  • Higher phage dosages facilitate component matching and reduce resistance emergence.
  • Ongoing phage replication is not always necessary for bacterial clearance with sufficient initial dosage.

Conclusions:

  • Theoretical models provide insights into designing robust phage therapies.
  • Experimental validation is necessary to confirm theoretical predictions and guide clinical applications.
  • Phage therapy design must proactively address bacterial resistance to ensure long-term efficacy.