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Questions and Answers
What is a bacteriophage?
What is a bacteriophage?
- A virus that infects and replicates within bacteria and archaea (correct)
- A protein that encapsulates DNA or RNA genome
- A type of bacteria found in the biosphere
- A component of biomass after prokaryotes
What does the term 'bacteriophage' mean?
What does the term 'bacteriophage' mean?
- To replicate within bacteria
- To inject genome into cytoplasm
- To encapsulate DNA or RNA genome
- To devour bacteria (correct)
How many genes can the genomes of bacteriophages encode?
How many genes can the genomes of bacteriophages encode?
- As few as four genes and as many as hundreds of genes (correct)
- Thousands of genes
- Only one gene
- No more than ten genes
Where are bacteriophages found?
Where are bacteriophages found?
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What is the estimated number of bacteriophages on the planet?
What is the estimated number of bacteriophages on the planet?
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Study Notes
What is a Bacteriophage?
- A bacteriophage, also known as a phage, is a type of virus that specifically infects bacteria.
- The term 'bacteriophage' means 'bacteria-eater'.
Characteristics of Bacteriophages
- The genomes of bacteriophages can encode up to hundreds of genes.
Distribution of Bacteriophages
- Bacteriophages are found almost everywhere, including soil, water, and the human gut.
Abundance of Bacteriophages
- It is estimated that there are approximately 10^31 bacteriophages on the planet, making them one of the most abundant biological entities on Earth.
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Description
Test your knowledge of bacteriophages with this quiz. Explore the structure, function, and characteristics of these viruses that infect bacteria and archaea.
