Basic I-Biology (BIO101)

Assignment 2
Bc210210435

What is Bacteriophage?

A bacteriophage, also known as a phage, is a virus that infects bacteria. The life cycle of a
bacteriophage can be divided into several stages: attachment, penetration, replication, and
release.

Attachment, or adsorption, is the first stage in which the phage binds to specific receptors on
the surface of the bacterial cell. This attachment is specific and depends on the phage's tail fibers,
which recognize and bind to specific receptors on the bacterial cell wall.

Penetration is the next stage in which the phage enters the bacterial cell. This can happen in one
of two ways: either through a lytic mechanism in which the phage causes the bacterial cell to
burst, or through a lysogenic mechanism in which the phage inserts its genetic material into the
bacterial genome.

Replication is the stage in which the phage's genetic material is copied. If the phage entered the
bacterial cell through a lytic mechanism, it will replicate its genetic material and produce new
phages. If it entered through a lysogenic mechanism, the phage's genetic material will be
incorporated into the bacterial genome and remain dormant until conditions are favorable for
replication.

Release is the final stage in which the new phages are released from the bacterial cell. This can
happen in one of two ways: either through a lytic mechanism in which the phages cause the
bacterial cell to burst and release the new phages, or through a lysogenic mechanism in which
the phages are released when the host cell divides.

It is important to note that not all bacteriophages have the same life cycle, some can only infect
and lyse their host, others can integrate their genome into the host and form a prophage, which
can be passed on to daughter cells during cell division. Some of those prophages can also be
activated by environmental stress factors, and start to produce new virions.

In summary, the life cycle of a bacteriophage involves attachment to a host cell, penetration of
the host cell, replication of its genetic material, and release of new phages. The exact
mechanisms involved in each stage vary depending on the specific type of phage.