Nucleic Acids Research, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 53(8)

Published: April 22, 2025

Abstract Bacteriophages with RNA genomes are among the simplest biological entities on Earth. Since their discovery in 1960s, they have been used as important models to understand principal processes of life, including translation and genetic code. While phages were generally thought rare oddities nature, meta-omics methods rapidly changing this simplistic view by studying diverse biomes unprecedented resolution. Metatranscriptomics dramatically expanded number known from tens thousands, revealed widespread abundance, discovered several new families potential largely unknown hosts, biology, environmental impact. At same time, (meta)genomic analyses bacterial hosts discovering an arsenal defense systems bacteria employ protect themselves predation, whose functions immunity against we only beginning understand. Here, I review how approaches advancing field phage biology a focus might fight them.

Language: Английский