rayhanmbo

Bacteriophages occur abundantly in the biosphere, with different virions, genomes, and lifestyles. Phages are classified by the  International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) according to morphology and nucleic acid. Nineteen families are currently recognized by the ICTV that infect  bacteria  and  archaea . Of these, only two families have RNA genomes, and only five families are enveloped. Of the viral families with DNA genomes, only two have single-stranded genomes. Eight of the viral families with DNA genomes have circular genomes while nine have linear genomes. Nine families infect bacteria only, nine infect archaea only, and one ( Tectiviridae ) infects both bacteria and archaea.

The structure of a typical  myovirus bacteriophage Anatomy and infection cycle of phage T4 A  bacteriophage  ( / b æ k ˈ t ɪər i oʊ f eɪ dʒ / ), also known informally as a  phage  ( / f eɪ dʒ / ), is a  virus  that infects and replicates within  Bacteria  and  Archaea . The term was derived from "bacteria" and the  Greek  φαγεῖν ( phagein ), "to devour". Bacteriophages are composed of  proteins  that  encapsulate  a  DNA  or  RNA   genome , and may have relatively simple or elaborate structures. Their genomes may encode  as few as four genes and as many as hundreds of  genes . Phages replicate within the bacterium following the injection of their genome into its  cytoplasm . Bacteriophages are among the most common and diverse entities in the  biosphere . [1]  Bacteriophages are ubiquitous viruses, found wherever bacteria exist. It is estimated th...