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In retrospect

A century of phage lessons

Nature volume 528, pages 46–47 (2015)Cite this article

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One hundred years after the first description of viruses that infect bacterial cells, the contribution of these bacteriophages to fundamental biology, biotechnology and human health continues unabated and deserves celebration.

In 1915, bacteriologist Frederick Twort1 published the first report of viruses that infect bacteria, replicate there and kill the cells. Since then, studies of these viruses, known as bacteriophages, or more colloquially as phages, have transformed biology. Phages provided the experimental systems and tools for the molecular-biology revolution of the twentieth century, and their rapid growth rates have allowed fundamental principles of ecology and evolution to be tested. We now know that phages are the world's most successful biological entities, being more abundant and genetically diverse than any other life form. Despite their importance, the study of these fascinating entities remains a niche endeavour. Here, we briefly review the history of phage studies, with the hope of inspiring a new generation of phage scientists.

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Figure 1: Bacteriophage in action.

a, Ref. 15; b, Graham Beards/CC-BY-3.0; c, Ref. 16

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, Forest Rohwer and Anca M. Segall are at the Viral Information Institute, San Diego State University, San Diego, California 92182, USA.,

    Forest Rohwer & Anca M. Segall

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  1. Forest Rohwer
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  2. Anca M. Segall
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Correspondence to Forest Rohwer or Anca M. Segall.

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Rohwer, F., Segall, A. A century of phage lessons. Nature 528, 46–47 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/528046a

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