Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria and are among the most common and diverse entities in the biosphere.
Nineteen families of bacteriophages that infect bacteria and archaea are currently recognized; of these, only two families have RNA genomes.
Of the viral families with DNA genomes, only two have single-stranded genomes, the Inoviridae and the Microviridae.
The dsDNA tailed phages, or Caudovirales, account for 95% of all known phages and possibly make up the majority of phages on the planet.
Bacteriophage Mu is a temperate bacteriophage that uses DNA-based transposition in its lysogenic cycle.
T-4 bacteriophage is a virulent bacteriophage that infects E. coli bacteria; virulent bacteriophages have a lytic life cycle.
In virology, temperate refers to the ability of some bacteriophages to display a lysogenic life cycle.
Most viruses infecting Archaea are double-stranded DNA viruses that are unrelated to any other form of virus.