What are bacteriophages?

Bacteriophages are naturally occurring bacterial-specific viruses that are integral parts of the ecosystem. Structurally, most have three major components: nucleic acids, an icosahedral protein capsid, and a tail (Figure 2). The nucleic acids contain genetic information to transcribe, translate, and ultimately replicate the phage; the capsid encases and protects the nucleic acids, and the tail recognizes and attaches the bacteriophage to the host.^[7]