Hi..

Bacteria have evolved specific binding proteins that allow them to interact with bacteriophages (phages) because phages are a major source of genetic diversity for bacteria. Phages can transfer their genetic material to bacteria through a process called horizontal gene transfer, which allows bacteria to acquire new traits such as antibiotic resistance. As a result, it is advantageous for bacteria to have mechanisms in place that allow them to recognize and bind to phages.

On the other hand, vertebrate cells do not typically have binding proteins that specifically recognize and bind to phages. This is because phages do not typically infect vertebrates; they are mostly specific to bacteria. Vertebrates have their own immune systems that protect them from viral infections, and these systems are generally effective at preventing phages from establishing an infection.

That being said, it is worth noting that some viruses that infect vertebrates do have proteins that allow them to bind to specific receptors on the surface of host cells. These binding proteins are typically used to help the virus enter and infect the host cell, rather than to specifically recognize and bind to a particular type of host.

Hi

Away from binding protiens and recogination sites. Viruses can infect human, animals, plants, and even insects. The type of viruse that infect bacteria is called phage or bacteria eater. So it depend on which type of species they infect, if they infect species other than bacteria it will not called phage anymore.

There are two distinct things you need to consider. The first is the receptor for phage binding, which is often some cell surface protein. It is certainly possible to express the receptor in other organisms and have the phage bind to that receptor. This has been done. Whether or not that will be sufficient for the phage to inject its DNA into the cell is entirely a different matter, and I think in most cases would not occur.

However, phages (actually all viruses) use the cellular machinery of the host in order to carry out gene expression, so the signals for transcription, translation, DNA replication etc need to be recognized by the host in order for them to occur. Since by definition phage infect bacteria, all the signals are for their bacterial host. So having a phage infect a vertebrate cell might possibly permit its DNA to enter the cell (although probably not) but will certainly not lead to any form of gene expression of the phage genes.

In fact most phages won't even infect other bacterial types that are a bit distant from its normal host.

Phages are specfic to bacterial cells because they cannot replicate by themselves but must commandeer the reproductive machinery of bacteria,to do so they attach to a bacterium and insert their genetic material,for more detailed see the attached ref.

https:// health ucsd.edu>newa>pages