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Updated: Aug 6, 2026
09:40
Phage Phenomics: Physiological Approaches to Characterize Novel Viral Proteins
Published on: June 11, 2015
Frequency of morphological phage descriptions in 1995
1Félix d'Hérelle Reference Center for Bacterial Viruses, Department ofMicrobiology, Faculty of Medicine, Laval University, Québec, Cananda.
Archives of Virology
|January 1, 1996
Summary
Electron microscopy reveals over 4500 bacterial viruses, with 96% being tailed phages. The Siphoviridae family, characterized by long, noncontractile tails, comprises 60% of these tailed viruses.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Virology
Background:
- Bacterial viruses, or bacteriophages, are crucial in microbial ecology and biotechnology.
- Electron microscopy has been instrumental in classifying viral morphology since 1959.
Purpose of the Study:
- To catalog and classify bacterial viruses based on morphology and host range.
- To analyze the distribution of different phage morphotypes across bacterial genera.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of electron microscopy studies of bacterial viruses.
- Classification of phages based on established morphotypes (tailed, cubic, filamentous, pleomorphic).
- Compilation of phage families and their associated bacterial host genera.
Main Results:
- Over 4500 bacterial viruses have been characterized via electron microscopy.
- Tailed phages constitute 96% of the examined viruses, while cubic, filamentous, and pleomorphic forms represent 4%.
- Phages encompass 12 virus families and infect approximately 130 bacterial genera, with Siphoviridae (long, noncontractile tails) being the most abundant tailed phage group (60%).
Conclusions:
- Bacterial viruses exhibit significant morphological diversity, dominated by tailed structures.
- The classification provides a comprehensive overview of phage families and their hosts, highlighting the prevalence of Siphoviridae.
- This systematic classification aids in understanding phage-host interactions and their ecological roles.
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