Question

Are bacteriophages good or bad?

Answer 1

Bacteriophages:

1. Bacteriophages (phages) are viruses that infect bacterial cells.
2. Example: T4 and T2 bacteriophage.
3. Bacteriophages are not bad. They are extremely beneficial in many ways.

Benefits of bacteriophages:

1. Phage therapy is a process that uses phages to treat bacterial diseases since they can kill bacteria without causing any harm to humans. This therapy is extremely helpful in destroying antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
2. Bacteriophages are a vital part of the gut microbiota. They play a pivotal role in maintaining the bacterial diversity within the gut.
3. They are often used as cloning vectors in recombinant DNA technology.
4. They can also be used as biocontrol agents for controlling plant pathogens and foodborne microbes.