bacteriophage
/bæk'tiəriəfeidʤ/
Definition
- Noun:
- A virus that infects and replicates within bacteria, using the bacterial cell's machinery to produce more viruses, ultimately destroying the bacterial host.
Usage and Examples
- Noun:
- Scientists are studying a specific bacteriophage that targets E. coli.
- The discovery of the bacteriophage provided a new tool for microbiology.
- Bacteriophage therapy is being researched as an alternative to antibiotics.
Advanced Usage
- "Bacteriophage typing": A laboratory technique for identifying bacterial strains based on their susceptibility to specific bacteriophages.
- The hospital lab used bacteriophage typing to track the source of the infection.
Variants and Related Words
- Phage (n): A common short form for "bacteriophage."
- The term phage is often used in scientific literature.
Synonyms
- Phage: (Shortened form, identical in meaning in scientific contexts.)
Related Terms and Concepts
- Lytic cycle: The process by which a bacteriophage replicates and causes the lysis (bursting) of the bacterial host cell.
- Lysogenic cycle: A process where the bacteriophage's genetic material integrates into the bacterial genome and replicates with it without immediately destroying the cell.
- Virology: The scientific study of viruses, including bacteriophages.
Noun
-
a virus that is parasitic (reproduces itself) in bacteria
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phage uses the bacterium's machinery and energy to produce more phage until the bacterium is destroyed and phage is released to invade surrounding bacteria
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