Nature Reviews Microbiology, Published online: 20 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41579-026-01318-7The life cycle of temperate bacteriophages involves lytic or lysogenic cycles and has historically served as a model for studying genetic regulation. This Review provides an updated overview of these cycles and highlights their complexities, supporting a greater appreciation of the ecological roles of temperate phages.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are involved in diverse functions in nature, from biogeochemical cycles to pathogenesis. Here, we investigate whether taxonomy represents a boundary that constrains the up...