Preprint finds mammalian cells internalize phage T4 and use it as a food source

A bioRxiv preprint reports that highly purified phage T4 was rapidly internalized in vitro by A549 lung epithelial cells, MDCK-I kidney cells and mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages without activating TLR9 or cGAS-STING inflammatory pathways. T4 internalization activated AKT-dependent pathways that increased cell metabolism, survival and actin reorganization and down-regulated CDK1; the authors conclude that mammalian cells take up phages as a food source.