Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria and can cause their hosts to die from infection. They are of interest to the medical community and industries that use bacteria. Bacteriophages can be found in water and can be used for phage therapy, which could address the problem of antibiotic resistance. These viruses are tailored to fit specific receptors on target bacteria and can replicate by inserting DNA or RNA into the bacterium. Bacteria that are infected with bacteriophages may experience lysis or other problems that inhibit reproduction.
A bacteriophage is a virus that infects bacteria. These viruses typically cause their hosts to die from infection, which makes bacteriophages of great interest to the medical community as well as scientists who cultivate the bacteria. In industries where bacteria are exploited to perform tasks such as fermenting food or producing useful chemicals, contamination with bacteriophages is a major concern, as viruses can shut down a process completely.
Humans have known about the action of bacteriophages for centuries. Many observers have historically noted that drinking water from certain places seemed to confer protection against disease. This water was teeming with bacteriophages that could attack disease-causing bacteria, although these observers were unaware of this fact. Over time, people started wondering what it was waters like those found in the Ganges River that provided protection from disease and bacteriophages were discovered.
These viruses can contain DNA or RNA, along with proteins that can correspond to specific receptors on target bacteria. Because their receptors are tailored to fit particular proteins, bacteriophages generally only infect closely related bacteria, leaving others alone because they lack the ability to infect them. When a bacteriophage finds a bacterium with proteins that match its receptors, it can insert DNA or RNA into the bacterium and direct the organism to start making replicas of the virus.
In the process of bacteriophage replication, many bacteria will experience lysis, where they break down or dissolve, literally exploding when overloaded with viruses. Others may be able to survive the replication process, but will eventually be subject to other problems that inhibit reproduction, effectively killing the bacteria.
Phage therapy, or the deliberate introduction of bacteriophages into the bodies of patients with bacterial infections, has been suggested in some regions of the world as a method that could be used to treat disease. Phage treatment could also address the problem of antibiotic resistance, as a bacteriophage can still attach itself to a bacterium that has developed resistance to antibiotic drugs.
These tiny viruses appear to be among the most common viruses in the world and can be found anywhere. This is perhaps not surprising, since bacteria can also be found everywhere and the ability to prey on bacteria would ensure a bacteriophage has a constant supply of victims.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
