Coinfecting viruses impede each other's ability to enter cells.

A recent study conducted by researchers from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Texas A&M University has examined the process of phage infection at the level of individual bacterial cells. The researchers found that the number of infecting phages that bind to the bacterial surface can impede the entry of viral genetic material into the cell. This discovery highlights the importance of the first stage of infection, phage entry, which was previously underappreciated. The study opens up new avenues for research in bacterial electrophysiology and may contribute to a better understanding of phage biology. [Extracted from the article]