What is "cyanophage"

n. A virus that infects cyanobacterium

A cyanophage is a virus that infects cyanobacteria. The name is constructed from the term phage, for a virus that targets bacteria, and cyanobacteria for the specific type of bacteria this virus uses for replication. Because of the important role of cyanobacteria as primary producers in the world's oceans, the study of their phage ecology is important toward understanding global carbon cycling.

The first cyanophage, LPP-1, was discovered in 1963. Cyanophages are classified within the bacteriophage families Myoviridae (eg AS-1, N-1), Podoviridae (eg LPP-1) and Siphoviridae (eg S-1).