Bacteriophages explained - visual summary
A summary of the BBC In Our Time program on Bacteriophages, viruses that have adapted to “eat” bacteria.
To put these sketchnotes together, I followed the same process as for my plankton sketchnote, using Miro to put the content together and DALL·E 3 for the illustrations.
Key ideas from the episode
What are bacteriophages: Bacteriophages - often shortened to phages - are viruses that infect bacteria. They’re found wherever bacteria live: in our bodies, soil, oceans. Because they control bacterial populations, they play a key role in shaping microbial ecosystems.
How bacteriophages work: A phage begins by attaching itself to a bacterial cell and injecting its own genetic material into the cell. The virus then takes over the cell, forcing it to make copies of the phage. Eventually, the cell bursts open, releasing new viruses which drift off to infect other bacteria.
Why bacteriophages matter: Phage research during World War 1 into smallpox and shigella outbreaks among soldiers, helped launch modern molecular biology. Today, phage therapy is being explored to help treat infections that no longer respond to antibiotics (antimicrobial resistance).
Source
BBC Radio 4 – In Our Time: Bacteriophages, Melvyn Bragg with guests discussing bacteriophage biology, history, and therapeutic potential, https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0020pf0, accessed 24 December 2024.