Uncovering How Bacteriophage Adapts: What We Learned From BF23
In a recent discovery, scientists have uncovered an amazing phenomenon in which bacteriophages (viruses that infect bacteria) have the ability to adapt and survive in an ever-changing environment. By studying a specific type of bacteriophage, scientists have gained insight into how viruses can cope with and adapt to new conditions. This could have implications for understanding how viruses evolve and how to better protect against them.
The researchers studied a phage called BF23, which infects a common gut bacterium called Bacteroides fragilis. The virus was observed to adapt to a range of environmental conditions, including changes in temperature, pH, and oxygen levels. The team discovered that BF23 had the ability to switch between two distinct modes: a dormant, “waiting” state and an active, “infecting” state.
The researchers believe that this dual mode of survival enabled the virus to protect itself from the changing environment. By being able to switch between the two modes, the virus was able to adjust to the conditions and survive. This discovery could help us better understand how viruses evolve and how to better protect ourselves against them.
source: Phys.org