filamentous bacterial viruses
Definition: deoxyribonucleoproteins that “infect” and replicate in gram-negative bacteria having sex pili and that, unlike bacteriophage, are released from infected bacteria without damage to the cell; they seem to be of two kinds, one of which has a specificity for F pili and the other for I pili.
Synonym(s): fibrous bacterial viruses
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Examples: glitazone, GI cocktail, etc.

