Abstract: In recent years,the frequent emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria worldwide has posed a great challenge to public health,prompting the research community to explore novel antibacterial strategies other than traditional antibiotics.Phages,as natural enemies of bacteria,have attracted extensive research interest due to their unique antibacterial properties that make them potential alternatives to antibiotics.Phages exhibit diverse bacterial inhibitory mechanisms by directly disrupting bacterial cell structures,such as cell membranes and cell walls,triggering bacterial lysis,or indirectly interfering with bacterial metabolic pathways and life processes to effectively inhibit bacterial growth.In view of this,a comprehensive analysis of phage-encoded bacteriostatic proteins,their mechanisms of action and their synergistic effects is of critical scientific value to guide the development and optimisation of novel phage therapeutics and to uncover new targets for antibacterial treatment.The authors summarize and evaluate recent developments in the study of phage inhibitory proteins,with a special focus on the classification,mechanism of action and their multidimensional effects on the bacterial life cycle,so as to reveal the potential of phage proteins for innovative antibacterial applications by exploring in detail how these molecules precisely target and inhibit key physiological processes in bacteria,including the cleavage of cellular structures,interference with DNA replication,protein synthesis and cell wall synthesis.Meanwhile,several examples are included to demonstrate the effectiveness of phage proteins in different application scenarios,such as clinical therapy,food safety and environmental protection,to further emphasize their practical translational significance.The comprehensive analysis in this review will not only enhance the scientific understanding of the antimicrobial mechanism of phage proteins,but also provide innovative perspectives and strategies to address the crisis of antibiotic resistance,and facilitate the exploration of a new way for antimicrobial research.

Key words: bacteriophage; antibacterial proteins; synergistic mechanisms; application fields