Exploring the Potential of Bacteriophages on Earth and Beyond

Bacteriophages are ubiquitous, from natural environments to human-made shelters. Their prevalence is governed mainly by their host bacteria, leading to their coevolution with bacterial populations. Phages can contribute to the exchange of genetic information in various microbial communities and have a significant impact on how such communities might impact the humans around them. Phages are specific to their host and therefore have been chosen as the ideal candidates for the design of therapeutics to combat pathogenic bacteria as an alternative to antibiotics. Certain properties of phages have found tremendous applications in the biotechnology and healthcare sector. Although phage research is at a nascent stage, especially with regard to the phage diversity in microbiomes and their impact on humans. Microbiome research is progressing rapidly with the advent of multi-omics technologies and pipelines, but more phage-oriented studies are needed to better understand their role in microbiomes. This review compiles previous phage-associated studies in diverse environments, techniques used, knowledge gaps that need to be addressed, and how this information translates to help develop and maintain built environments like the International Space Station.