Abacteriophage, also known informally as a 'phage', is aduplodnaviria virusthat infects and replicates within bacteria and archaea.
The term was derived from "bacteria" and the Greek φαγεῖν (phagein), meaning "to devour".
Bacteriophages are composed of proteinsthat encapsulate a DNA or RNA genome, and may have structures that are either simple or elaborate.
Their genomes may encode as few as four genes (e.g. MS2) and as many as hundreds of genes.
Phages replicate within the bacterium following the injection of their genome into itscytoplasm.
Bacteriophages are among the most common and diverse entities in the biosphere.
Bacteriophages are ubiquitous viruses, found wherever bacteria exist.
It is estimated there aremore than 1031 bacteriophages on the planet, more than every other organism on Earth, including bacteria, combined.
Viruses are the most abundant biological entity in the water column of the world's oceans, and the second largest component of biomass after prokaryotes, where up to 9x108 virions per millilitre have been found in microbial mats at the surface, and up to 70% of marine bacteria may be infected by phages.
Phages have been used since the late 20th century as an alternative to antibiotics in the former Soviet Union and Central Europe, as well as in France.
They are seen as a possible therapy against multi-drug-resistant strains of many bacteria (phage therapy).
Phages are known to interact with the immune system both indirectly via bacterial expression ofphage-encoded proteinsand directly by influencing innate immunity and bacterial clearance.
Phage–host interactions are becoming increasingly important areas of research.
