Which of the Following is Associated with the Attachment of a Bacteriophage

Question

Which of the following is associated with the attachment of a bacteriophage to a bacterial cell?
A) random collisions
B) chemical attractions
C) receptor specificity
D) both chemical attractions and receptor specificity
E) random collisions, chemical attractions, and receptor specificity

Accepted Answer

Bacteriophages attach to bacterial cells through a process that involves random collisions, chemical attractions, and receptor specificity. Random collisions bring the phage close to the bacterial surface, chemical attractions help the phage to adhere to the cell, and receptor specificity ensures that the phage attaches only to specific bacteria that have the right receptor molecules on their surface.