Bacteriophage Interactions With Higher Organisms

Abstract

Bacteriophages were discovered 59 years ago. Despite the widespread distribution of these viruses, the extent of their interaction with higher organisms, including man, is still largely unknown. Recently, it has been shown that some phages carry genes that code for toxins, as in the case of phage β, which codes for diphtheria toxin. There have also been reports of phage genome transcription and translation in in vitro eukaryotic systems. The word bacteriophage conveys the historical nature of the discovery of this class of viruses, it does not define the limits of the viruses effects or host range. The recent discoveries of bacteriophage in commercial fetal calf serum and human vaccines should stimulate efforts to learn of phage interactions with eukaryotic systems.

A bacteriophages journey through the human body

“…This is primarily due to fundamental differences in cell‐surface receptors and intracellular machinery between the prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell. Despite these differences, phages have long been known to completely and profusely permeate the bodies of humans and other vertebrate organisms . In 1921, Felix d'Hérelle first observed the transitory appearance of phages targeting Salmonella typhimurium in the blood of infected rats .…”

“…Phages exert significant selective pressure on their bacterial hosts and undoubtedly influence the human microbiome and its impact on our health. Our bodies are frequently and continuously exposed to diverse communities of phages . Despite the prevalence of phages throughout our bodies, the extent of their interactions with human cells and organs is still largely unknown.…”

Bacteriophage penetration in vertebrates

“…saliva, faeces, skin) because they propagate on symbiotic or pathogenic bacteria in higher organisms. Bacteriophages are known to be very common in the gastrointestinal tract and, together with their bacterial hosts, are an important component of gut flora (Merril 1974; Ashelford et al. 2000; Gorski et al.…”

Genetic Manipulations with Plant Material

“…Due to the relative ease of isolating bacterial DNA, most emphasis was placed on the uptake, fate and expression of prokaryotic DNA in plant cells. Several reviews give an adequate survey and synopsis of the work (Merril, 1974;Merril and Stanbro, 1974;Johnson and Grierson, 1974;Chaleff and Carlson, 1974). Many of the phenomena described have been termed 'transformation' because of analogy to the bacterial system, in which isolated donor DNA has been used to confer a new phenotype to a recipient cell.…”