Unit 1: Introduction to Phage Biology and Classification:
History of phage discovery, structure and morphology, classification systems (ICTV, Baltimore), lytic and lysogenic cycles, methods of isolation and quantification.
Unit 2: Ecology and Evolution of Phages
Phage diversity and distribution, phage-host coevolution, horizontal gene transfer, transduction, lysogenic conversion, role of phages in microbial ecology and bacterial virulence.
Unit 3: Molecular Biology and Physiology of Phages
Structure-function relationship of phage proteins, genome replication, regulation of gene expression, host takeover mechanisms, bacterial defense systems (restriction-modification, CRISPR-Cas).
Unit 4: Phage Applications in Health, Agriculture, and Environment
Phage therapy (human and veterinary), biocontrol in agriculture and aquaculture, food safety, wastewater sanitation, and phage role in antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
Unit 5: Genome Engineering and Molecular Biotechnology Applications
Phage genome sequencing and annotation, CRISPR–phage interactions, phage display library, engineered phages, and synthetic biology applications.