BACTERIOPHAGE

(LYTIC AND LYSOGENIC CYCLE)

INTRODUCTION:
• A bacteriophage is a type of virus that
infects bacteria. In fact, the word
“bacteriophage” literally means “bacteria
eater”, because bacteriophages
destroy their host cells.
STRUCTURE:
• Like all viruses, phages are simple organisms
that consist of a core genetic material
(nucleic acid) surrounded by a protein
capsid.
• The nucleic acid may be either DNA or RNA
and may be double-stranded or single-
stranded.
• Bacteriophage structures are diverse, but
the vast majority of characterised phage
share some common characteristics. Many
phage have an icosahedral, head structure
made of repeat protein subunits known as
the capsid. It contains the viral genome.
• The primary difference in phage are the
presence or absence of a “tail” structure.
• The tail made of proteins
that enables the specific
recognition of a receptor
at the surface of the host
bacterium.
•There are three basic structural forms
of phage: an icosahedral head with a
tail, an icosahedral head without a tail,
and a filamentous form.
LIFE CYCLES OF PHAGE:

• Phages have two distinct life cycles. These

are the lytic cycle, a productive process
leading to synthesis of new phage particles,
and the lysogenic cycle, a ‘silent’ stage
where the phage genome is integrated with
the host chromosome.
• To begin their lifecycle, phage must come
into contact with a bacterial cell encoding a
receptor, complimentary to the phage anti-
receptor. Once cell contact has been
established, phage enter the bacterial cell.
• Phage lack the machinery required to
express their own genes and replicate their
own genomes. They must therefore hijack
this capability from the host cell machinery.
Expression of phage genes, and synthesis of
new phage particles form the lytic cycle.
THE LYTIC CYCLE:
• In the lytic cycle, the host cell machinery
express phage gene, forming coat proteins
and replicate the phage genome. Coat
proteins are then assembled around
replicated phage genomes to form complete
phage particles. As more and more phage
particles are synthesised, the host cell
eventually reaches breaking point and
ruptures(lysis).
• Phage particles are then released into the
surrounding area, ready to infect a new
host. Once in the cell however, phage
genomes can also integrate with the host
chromosome, forming a state of lysogeny.
THE LYSOGENIC CYCLE:
• In the lysogenic cycle, the phage genome
integrates with the host chromosome.
Integrate phage genomes are knoen as
prophage. Once in a state of lysogeny, phage
can remain within their hosts for many
generations. In order to transition from the
lysogenic cycle, back into the lytic cycle,
gene expression must be stimulated .
OTHER LIFECYCLES:
• Pseudolysogeny: In this life cycle, a
bacteriophage enters a cell but neither hijack
bacterial machinery nor integrates stably into the
host genome. Pseudolysogeny occurs when a
host cell encounters unfavorable growth
conditions and appears to play an important role
in phage survival by enabling the preservation of
the phage genome until host growth conditions
have become advantageous again.
•In chronic infection new phage particles
are produced continuously over a long
periods of time but without apparent
cell killing.
USES:
• Initially, phage have been studied as model
organisms to gain insights into basic genetic
concepts, such as viral gene expression. This
due to their ease of manipulation and
culture. Now however, the focus is shifting
to understanding the biology of phage
themselves, and how they can be used in
biotechnology and the treatment of
infectious, bacterial disease.
PHAGE THERAPY:
• Bacteriophages were discovered
independently by Frederick W. Twort in
Great Britain(1915) and Felix d’ Herelle in
France(1917). Soon after making their
discovery, they began to use phages in
treating human bacterial diseases such as
bubonic plague and cholera.
• Phage therapy was not sucessful, and after
the discovery of antibiotics in the 1940s, it
was virtually abandoned. With the rise of
antibiotic-resistant bacteria, however, the
therapeutic potential of phages has received
renewed attention.
BIOTECHNOLOGY/RESEARCH:
• The ability of phage to facilitate horizontal
gene transfer by transduction has rendered
them a valuable tool in biotechnology.
Phage can be used to construct mutants in
different species of bacteria by acting as
vectors for foreign DNA.