What are bacteriophages?

Bacteriophages are viruses specialized in parasitism of bacteria. They are used in genetic engineering as molecular cloning vehicles to insert recombinant DNA into bacteria. They were also used in the former Soviet Union to treat bacterial infections.

Bacteriophages have a polyhedron-like capsid and DNA as genetic material. The "head" of the virus is linked to a tail that ends in small fibers that help the virus to attach to the bacterial cell wall and to inject its genetic material into the host.

Virus Review - Image Diversity: bacteriophage