During Attachment of Phage to E. Coli, the Phage

Question

During attachment of phage to E. coli, the phage
A) actively seeks out the bacteria AND attaches to proteins or carbohydrates on the bacterial surface.
B) randomly bumps into the bacteria AND attaches to proteins or carbohydrates on the bacterial surface.
C) randomly bumps into the bacteria AND attaches to the bacterial RNA.
D) randomly bumps into the bacteria AND attaches to the bacterial DNA.
E) actively seeks out the bacteria AND attaches to the bacterial DNA.

Accepted Answer

Phages attach to bacteria through a process that is more accurately described as random encounters rather than active seeking. Once they encounter a bacterium, phages attach to specific receptor molecules on the bacterial surface, which are typically proteins or carbohydrates. This specificity is crucial for the phage to inject its genetic material into the correct host cell.