Bacteriophages classification

Classification of bacterial viruses In the bacterial viruses, a formal classification scheme is rarely used. Rather, each bacterial virus is designated in terms of its principal bacterial host, followed by an arbitrary alphanumeric. Thus, we speak of T4 virus of Escherichia coli or P22 virus of Salmonella typhimurium. An overview of some of the major types of bacterial viruses is given later. We should note, however, that although a bacterial virus may be designated in reference to its principal host, the actual host range of the virus may be broader. Thus, bacteriophage Mu, generally studied with Escherichia coli, also infects Citrobacter and Salmonella. 

Kinoshita, S. and Teramoto, K. (1955) Studies on the bacteriophage for Cl acetobutylicum part 6. (1) Classification of strains by phage (2) On the relation between sluggish fermentation and phage action. Nippon Nogeikagaku Kaishi, 29, 955-957. 

Ackermann HW (2006) Classification of bacteriophages. In Calendar R, Abedon ST (eds) The bacteriophages, 2nd edn. Oxford University Press, New York, pp 8-16... 

In the course of our examination of the morphogenesis and reproduction of viruses we shall follow the chemical principle of classification suggested by Cooper (1961), based on chemical structure of the genetic macromolecule of the virus (RNA, s ingle-stranded DNA, double-helical DNA) and their classification in accordance with the principal evolutionary groups (viruses of plants, of animals, and of bacteria). Viruses of bacteria are usually called bacteriophages. 

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