Bacteriophages: 100 years of the history of studies on model viruses in molecular biology

Abstract

One hundred years ago, in 1915, Frederick Twort has published an article in which he described factors that could destroy bacterial cells [1]. In fact, he did not know at that time that these factors are viruses, however, retrospective analyses show undoubtedly that he found bacteria-infecting agents, known today as bacteriophages. The history of further studies on these viruses is fascinating, and underlines the role of model organisms in development of molecular biology, as well as the importance of deep understanding of their functions for applications of biological subjects. In this short editorial article, we will present an overview on the history of studies on bacteriophages and their importance in current molecular biology and medicine.