Transmission electron micrograph of a P1 bacteriophage. Bacteriophages are viruses that infect only bacterial cells. P1 is a temperate phage (lysogeny

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Transmission electron micrograph of a P1 bacteriophage. Bacteriophages are viruses that infect only bacterial cells. P1 is a temperate phage (lysogeny) which means it is non virulent, does not multiply, or cause lysis (death by bursting). Instead its DNA attaches to the bacterium's & is passed on at each division. The attached condition is known as the prophage state. Phage DNA is contained within the head, a 20-faced (icosahedron) figure. The head is attached to a tail, a contractile sheath, which injects the DNA into the bacterium through a syringe-like tube (not seen). Mag: X580,000 (at 10x8 size).

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Size: 3626px × 4927px
Photo credit: © B. HEGGELER/BIOZENTRUM, UNIVERSITY OF BASEL/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: bacteriophage, bacteriophages, lysogeny, microbiology, p1, phage, prophage, state, temperate, virology, virus, viruses