Mammal cells use some viruses like vitamins, study hints

On the menu tonight, a nice, nutritional, bacteria-killing virus. Sounds unappealing? It may not be to your cells.

In a new study, scientists revealed that a type of bacteriophage — a virus that infects and kills bacteria — found in the human gut helps mammal cells grow and thrive in what could be a symbiotic relationship. That’s a surprise, as other bacteriophages (phages for short) are known to trigger inflammatory responses when they encounter mammalian cells.