Question

What exactly is a Phage?

Answer 1

Bacteriophage:

1. A bacteriophage is a virus that infects a bacterial cell and reproduces inside it.
2. They show diversity in their shape and genetic material.
3. A bacteriophage contains DNA or RNA.
4. Their capsid can be isohedral, filamentous, or head-tail in shape.
5. The bacteriophage consists of a polyhedral head, a shirt collar, and a helical tail.

1. Head- Made up of two thousand capsomeres with double-stranded DNA enclosed within.
2. Tail- The tail consists of an inner hollow tube surrounded by a contractile sheath. The distal end consists of a basal plate with tail fibers around the corner. The bacteriophage attaches to the bacterial surface with the help of these tail fibers.