:: Volume 12, Issue 1 (6-2018) ::
Iran J Virol 2018, 12(1): 52-62 Back to browse issues page
Bacteriophages: An Illustrated General Review
Ramin Mazaheri Nezhad Fard *
Department of Pathobiology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract:   (2237 Views)
Bacteriophages are the most widespread entities on earth, which are able to invade prokaryotes. Bacteriophages play roles in dynamics of bacterial population, pathogenicity, epidemics and evolution. Bacteriophages are taxonomically categorized into two major orders of Caudovirales and Ligamenvirales, five families, nine subfamilies, 145 genera and 684 species; from which, family members of Siphoviridae, Myoviridae, Podoviridae and Inoviridae are the most widespread bacteriophages in nature. Bacteriophages are morphologically categorized into two main categories of tailed and polyhedral, filamentous or pleomorphic bacteriophages. They can have either a single or double stranded DNA or RNA genome. The current review generally introduces bacteriophages using illustrations. 
Keywords: Bacteriophage, prokaryote, bacteria, virus, morphology, taxonomy
Full-Text [PDF 1246 kb]   (2205 Downloads)    
Type of Study: Review article | Subject: Special
Received: 2019/06/3 | Accepted: 2019/06/3 | Published: 2019/06/3


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Volume 12, Issue 1 (6-2018) Back to browse issues page