Review of the Use of Bacteriophages in Biotechnology

Abstract

Bacteriophages are ubiquitous entities that exhibit a specialty towards one or more host strains. They are the most prevalent entities on Earth, surpassing bacteria in quantity by a factor of ten. We can identify two categories of phages: lytic and temperate. This is about phages that can add their genetic material to the host genome. This makes a prophage that copies itself inside the host cell and may protect it from other phages of the same species that might try to infect it. Alternatively, lytic phages, which are of significant importance in biotechnology, encourage the host cell to undergo lysis after their reproductive cycle. In their lysogenic state, they can disseminate genes that provide antibiotic resistance to bacteria via horizontal gene transfer. Moreover, phage therapy has garnered support from the scientific community due to its distinctive ability to address issues associated with biofilm formation and microbial regulation that other prevalent methods struggle to resolve effectively. Bacteriophages are advantageous as they offer a feasible and promising alternative. This study aims to provide the latest knowledge on the application of phages for pathogen biocontrol in industrial and healthcare environments.