Journal
RESEARCH IN MICROBIOLOGY
Volume 154, Issue 4, Pages 245-251Publisher
ELSEVIER
DOI: 10.1016/S0923-2508(03)00067-6
Keywords
bacteriophage classification; bacteriophage host range; bacteriophage origin; tailed phages; archaeal viruses
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Bacteriophages are classified into one order and 13 families. Over 5100 phages have been examined in the electron microscope since 1959. At least 4950 phages (96%) are tailed. They constitute the order Caudovirales and three families. Siphoviridae or phages with long, noncontractile tails predominate (61% of tailed phages). Polyhedral, filamentous, and pleomorphic phages comprise less than 4% of bacterial viruses. Bacteriophages occur in over 140 bacterial or archaeal genera. Their distribution reflects their origin and bacterial phylogeny. Bacteriophages are polyphyletic, arose repeatedly in different hosts, and constitute I I lines of descent. Tailed phages appear as monophyletic and as the oldest known vir-us group. (C) 2003 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.
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