When you hear the word “bacteria” what do you think of? If you’re like most people, you probably think of things that can make you sick. Although some bacteria do make us sick, this is not true for all of them. In fact, as we’ll see a little later, some bacteria are very helpful.
Did you know that bacteria can have a virus? It’s true! But first, you might be wondering: what’s the difference between viruses and bacteria?
Bacteria grows and reproduces on its own, while viruses cannot exist or reproduce without being in a living cell of a plant, animal, or even bacteria. Size-wise, bacteria are enormous.
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The T4 bacteriophage is a virus that looks like a spaceship from an alien planet. It attaches to the surface of the Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria using its six legs and injects DNA into the bacteria. The DNA then tells the bacteria to multiply and essentially fill the bacterial cell to bursting. This is how the T4 kills E. coli.
In this video below, you’ll first see large E. coli bacteria floating around, one of which is attacked by a T4 bacteriophage. Notice how the T4 injects the DNA strand into the bacterium. (What’s not shown is how it bursts, but we’ll leave that to your imagination!)
Some bacteria are responsible for diseases in humans and other organisms. Strep throat, tuberculosis, and pneumonia are all the result of bacteria.
Bacteria can also be responsible for food poisoning. Raw eggs and undercooked meats can contain bacteria that can cause digestive problems. One simple step everyone can take to reduce these kinds problems is washing your hands before cooking or eating. Cleaning cooking surfaces and fully cooking food can also help.
In 2007 the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved using bacteriophages on all food products. Other places you’ll find bacteriophages are in hospitals, uniforms, sutures and surgery surfaces where it’s important to keep surfaces very clean.
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