Bacteriophages (bacteria-infecting viruses) target a single bacterial cell. The viruses anchor themselves to the bacteria’s cellular surface using proteinaceous tails before injecting their genomes into the bacterial host.
Using the natural evolutionary specificity of bacteriophages could contribute to medical biology by targeting and curing increasingly resistant bacterial infections such as tuberculosis and streptococcus.
Photo Credit: Lee D. Simon/Photo Researchers
Incredible photograph of viral bacteriophages at work. One bacteria is about to have a very bad day.
