Review Article

Bacteriophages and Their Derivatives as Biotherapeutic Agents in Disease Prevention and Treatment

Table 1

The fourteen phage families based on morphology and genome characteristics.

FamilyMorphologyNucleic acid

MyoviridaeNonenveloped, contractile tailLinear dsDNA
SiphoviridaeNonenveloped, noncontractile tail (long)Linear dsDNA
PodoviridaeNonenveloped, noncontractile tail (short)Linear dsDNA
LipothrixviridaeEnveloped, rod-shaped (infect Archea)Linear dsDNA
RudiviridaeNonenveloped, rod-shaped (infect Archea)Linear dsDNA
AmpullaviridaeEnveloped, bottle-shapedLinear dsDNA
BicaudaviridaeNonenveloped, lemon-shapedCircular dsDNA
ClavaviridaeNonenveloped, rod-shapedCircular dsDNA
CorticoviridaeNonenveloped, isometricCircular dsDNA
CystoviridaeEnveloped, sphericalSegmented dsRNA
FuselloviridaeNonenveloped, lemon-shapedCircular dsDNA
GlobuloviridaeEnveloped, isometricLinear dsDNA
GuttavirusNonenveloped, ovoidCircular dsDNA
InoviridaeNonenveloped, filamentousCircular ssDNA
LeviviridaeNonenveloped, isometricLinear ssRNA
MicroviridaeNonenveloped, isometricCircular ssDNA
PlasmaviridaeEnveloped, pleomorphicCircular dsDNA
TectiviridaeNonenveloped, isometricLinear dsDNA