EC Microbiology

Bacteriophages, or phages, are viruses that infect and reproduce within bacteria. Bacteria are the most abundant microorganisms on Earth, and the most studied are a type of virus that infects Escherichia coli. Originally, the production of encoded toxins was the most relevant aspect; however, currently, the encoding of genes and their contribution to various aspects of bacterial pathogenicity are more prominent, including adhesion, invasion, and immune evasion. Furthermore, they disseminate virulence genes within bacterial populations, contributing to bacterial pathogenesis through unique properties, containing pathogenic components, and the induction of prophages via gene amplification, upregulation of transcription, and mediated lysis.

 Keywords: Bacteriophages (Phages); Gut Microbiome (GM); Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT); Fecal Virome Transplantation (FVT)

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