Bacteriophage
Bacteriophage are readily available in soil and marine communities. The purpose of this lab was to investigate the bacteriophage (If present in sample collected) by testing the phage on a specific strain of bacteria and to observe its characteristics. This same approach can be used when testing for resistance evolution within bacterial strains. Our hypothesis states that bacteriophage will not be present within our sample from East Lake. With the use of a phage buffer and soft agar, it provides an even suspension and growth of cells. This is essential for seeing lysis caused by bacteriophage. After 24 hours, our data seemed significant as signs of successful infection within the bacteria was not present. No plaques were formed in all three
…show more content…
With the discovery of antibiotics, phage research came to a halt. Research is starting to reemerge as strains of bacteria are becoming more resistant. The main advantage of phage treatment is the specificity of bacteriophages. These viruses can be designed in a lab to specifically target pathogenic bacteria. One benefit of phage treatment includes the ability of the virus as it does not negatively affect the normal microbiota in your body. One potential issue with phage-therapy is that some phages has an ability to modify host bacteria in ways that could make them more pathogenic. According to NCBI, phage therapy excludes the use of temperate phages. A temperate phage can display lysogenic properties. NCBI claims that phage progeny is produced as these phages incorporate their genomes into the bacteria. Rather than dying, the bacteria are infected. During this, the phage converts this bacterium as it becomes lysogenic. Bacteria that contain lysogenic properties rather than lytic properties do not die because of infection. Bacterial lysogens are resistant to bacteriophages that carry lysogenic properties. This decreases the ability to successfully infect them. Also, NCBI mentions that temperate phages often display lysogenic conversion. Temperate phages can modify the bacterial phenotype that result in increased bacterial virulence. As mentioned by NCBI, temperate phages are associated with transduction. The phages can easily pick up new genes from the bacteria they are infecting. These genes are then easily transferred to subsequently infected bacteria. This is done without killing the new bacteria getting infected. This can present allot of
With the discovery of antibiotics, phage research came to a halt. Research is starting to reemerge as strains of bacteria are becoming more resistant. The main advantage of phage treatment is the specificity of bacteriophages. These viruses can be designed in a lab to specifically target pathogenic bacteria. One benefit of phage treatment includes the ability of the virus as it does not negatively affect the normal microbiota in your body. One potential issue with phage-therapy is that some phages has an ability to modify host bacteria in ways that could make them more pathogenic. According to NCBI, phage therapy excludes the use of temperate phages. A temperate phage can display lysogenic properties. NCBI claims that phage progeny is produced as these phages incorporate their genomes into the bacteria. Rather than dying, the bacteria are infected. During this, the phage converts this bacterium as it becomes lysogenic. Bacteria that contain lysogenic properties rather than lytic properties do not die because of infection. Bacterial lysogens are resistant to bacteriophages that carry lysogenic properties. This decreases the ability to successfully infect them. Also, NCBI mentions that temperate phages often display lysogenic conversion. Temperate phages can modify the bacterial phenotype that result in increased bacterial virulence. As mentioned by NCBI, temperate phages are associated with transduction. The phages can easily pick up new genes from the bacteria they are infecting. These genes are then easily transferred to subsequently infected bacteria. This is done without killing the new bacteria getting infected. This can present allot of