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Glite Dictionary
prophage

prophage

1 9.9
Part of a virus that stays inside bacteria without making new viruses
  • noun
  • /ˈprɒfeɪdʒ/
  • Specialized
: profago
  • The genetic material of a bacteriophage can exist in a dormant state as a prophage within a bacterial cell.

Examples

  • The fact that most of the septicemic bacterial isolates carry functional prophages suggests an active role of phages in bacterial infections.

    Academic text (2017)

  • Prophages present in sepsis-causing bacterial clones play a role in clonal selection during bacterial invasion.

    Academic text (2017)

  • When the bacterium is under stress, the prophage may activate and lead to the production of new viruses.

  • Scientists study prophages to understand their influence on bacterial evolution and antibiotic resistance.

Surface Forms

prophage singular
prophages plural

Morphology

prophage = phage (semi-transparent) = pro + phage

The prefix 'pro-' suggests a preliminary or inactive state, but the specific biological context may not be immediately clear to all learners.

Etymology

The word prophage combines pro- meaning 'before' and phage meaning 'to eat', a root you also see in bacteriophage, a virus that 'eats' bacteria. So a prophage is the virus's genetic part that stays inside a bacterial cell 'before' it becomes active, like a sleeping stage that can later wake up and make new viruses.