18^th International Virology Summit

Bacterial and Fungal Virology

The study of parasites that multiply inside bacteria by making use of the host biosynthetic machinery is known as bacterial virology. Bacteriophages are the viruses that infect and replicate in bacteria. Since the early 1970s, bacteria have continued to develop resistance to antibiotics such as penicillin, and this has led to a renewed interest in the use of bacteriophages to treat serious infections. It deals with viruses that infect fungi are known as Mycoviruses.  Mycoviruses have double-stranded RNA genomes and isometric particles, but about 30% of them have positive sense and single-stranded RNA genomes, to be a  true Mycoviruses, they must have an ability to be transmitted ( in other words be able to infect other healthy fungi)the creation of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Phages are also used in diagnostic applications, such as phage display technology, which helps identify interactions between proteins and discover new drug candidates. One key area of research in fungal virology involves the use of mycoviruses to regulate the growth of plant pathogenic fungi, which cause diseases like rust and blight in crops. Understanding the virus-host interactions between mycoviruses and their fungal hosts could lead to innovative agricultural practices, including the development of virus-based biocontrol agents to limit the spread of fungal plant pathogens and reduce the need for chemical pesticides.