Question

Do bacteriophages exist naturally?

Answer 1

Bacteriophages:

1. They are viruses that tend to infect and replicate inside a bacterial cell.
2. This forces bacterial cellular machinery to replicate and create more copies of the bacteriophage genome.
3. At later stages, the bacterial cell ruptures to release the multiplied copy of the bacteriophage genome(lysis stage).
4. However, in some cases(lysogenic cycle), this genome can integrate into the bacterial genome and remains dormant for some time.
5. Whenever conditions are suitable, the dormant genome becomes active to lyse the cell and get released to infect other bacterial cells.
6. Example- Phi X 174, P1 phage, etc.
7. Habitat- they are found wherever bacteria exist, i.e. almost every habitat.
8. Example- rocks, oceans, soil, snow, on or inside organisms (plants and animals-including humans).