A prophage is a bacteriophage (often shortened to "phage") genome that is integrated into the circular bacterial chromosome or exists as an extrachromosomal plasmid within the bacterial cell. [1]

Bacteriophages, or simply phages, are viruses infecting bacteria. With an estimated 10 31 particles in the biosphere, phages outnumber bacteria by a factor of at least 10 and not surprisingly, they influence the evolution of most bacterial species, sometimes in …

The meaning of PROPHAGE is an intracellular form of a bacteriophage in which it is harmless to the host, is usually integrated into the hereditary material of the host, and reproduces when the host does.

Jan 25, 2022 · The inducibility of a prophage is likely to be of crucial importance, at least to some pathogens, because it allows prophages to become more fit to dominate the econiche, potentially contributing to disease pathophysiology. However, prophages might gradually degrade into incomplete sequences.

Sep 16, 2015 · Phages are obligate parasites that can typically sustain two distinct life cycles — lytic and lysogenic — as defined by their genetics and interaction with the bacterial host 9.

Jan 13, 2025 · Prophage-DB provides a multifaceted exploration of prophage genomics, diversity, ecology, and evolution by examining their relationships with their hosts, their environmental distribution, their auxiliary metabolic genes (AMGs), and their taxonomy.

Prophages are a subset of genomic islands, where bacteriophage genomes have inserted into a bacterial cell, as either an extrachromosomal plasmid or integrated directly into the host chromosome.

Nov 2, 2023 · Environmental bacteria host an enormous number of prophages, but their diversity and natural functions remain largely elusive. Here, we investigate prophage activity and diversity in 63 Erwinia...

Apr 22, 2024 · In addition to the well-studied movement of genes on plasmids 4, prophages — bacteriophage viruses that are integrated within a bacterial genome — are horizontally transferred genetic elements that have a complex relationship with their bacterial hosts.

Upon infection, a temperate phage can either kill the host cell or be maintained as a prophage. In this state, the bacteria carrying the prophage is at risk of superinfection, where another phage injects its genetic material and competes for host cell resources.