bacteriophage
MinireviewThe Impact of Quorum Sensing on the Modulation of Phage-Host InteractionsBacteriophages are the most diverse and abundant biological entities on the Earth and require host bacteria to replicate. Because of this obligate relationship, in addition to the challenging conditions of surrounding environments, phages must integrate information about extrinsic and intrinsic factors when infecting their hosts.
Research Article | SpotlightFlagellar Structures from the Bacterium Caulobacter crescentus and Implications for Phage ϕCbK Predation of Multiflagellin BacteriaBacterial flagellar filaments serve as an initial attachment point for many bacteriophages to bacteria. Some bacteria harbor numerous flagellin genes and are therefore able to generate flagellar filaments with complex compositions, which is thought to be important for evasion from bacteriophages.
Research ArticleHK97 gp74 Possesses an α-Helical Insertion in the ββα Fold That Affects Its Metal Binding, cos Site Digestion, and In Vivo ActivitiesThis study demonstrates that residues outside the canonical ββα fold, namely, the Ω-loop α-helical insert and a disordered C-terminal tail, regulate the activity of the HNH endonuclease gp74. The increased divalent metal ion binding when the Ω-loop insert is removed compared to reduced cos site digestion and phage formation indicates that the Ω-loop insert plays multiple regulatory roles. The data presented here provide...
Research Article | SpotlightDual Predation by Bacteriophage and Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus Can Eradicate Escherichia coli Prey in Situations where Single Predation CannotWith increasing levels of antibiotic resistance, the development of alternative antibacterial therapies is urgently needed. Two potential alternatives are bacteriophage and predatory bacteria. Bacteriophage therapy has been used, but prey/host specificity and the rapid acquisition of bacterial resistance to bacteriophage are practical considerations. Predatory bacteria are of interest due to their broad Gram-negative bacterial prey...
Research ArticleDecoupling Filamentous Phage Uptake and Energy of the TolQRA Motor in Escherichia coliFilamentous phages are widely distributed symbionts of Gram-negative bacteria, with some of them being linked to genome evolution and virulence of their host. However, the precise mechanism that permits their uptake across the cell envelope is poorly understood. The canonical phage model Fd requires the TolQRA protein complex in the host envelope, which is suspected to translocate protons across the inner membrane. In this study, we...
Research ArticleDouble Tubular Contractile Structure of the Type VI Secretion System Displays Striking Flexibility and ElasticityThe cell wall is a physical scaffold that all transenvelope complexes have to cross for assembly. However, the cell wall-deficient state has been described as a common condition found in both Gram-negative and Gram-positive pathogens during persistent infections. Loss of cell wall is known to have pleiotropic physiological effects, but how membrane-anchored large cellular organelles adapt to this unique state is less completely...
Research ArticlePQS Produced by the Pseudomonas aeruginosa Stress Response Repels Swarms Away from Bacteriophage and AntibioticsWe uncover a phage- and antibiotic-induced stress response in the clinically important opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Phage-infected P. aeruginosa subpopulations are isolated from uninfected subpopulations by the production of a stress-induced signal. Activation of the stress...