Filamentous bacteriophage: an antigen and gene delivery system

In the past years bacteriophages have been employed in a wide array of applications including therapy of bacterial infections, genetic research and the discovery of specific target binding proteins. More recently they have been proposed as delivery vehicles for peptides/proteins and DNA in the development of phage delivered vaccines and for gene therapy. Because of their efficacy, low cost, safety and physical stability, bacteriophages have represented and still represent a relevant and pro­mising tool in this diverse range of fields. The aim of this chapter is to review studies where filamentous bacteriophages were applied as antigen and gene delivery vehicles and to emphasize their several potential applications in modern medicine and biotechnology.