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TransFLP — A Method to Genetically Modify Vibrio cholerae Based on Natural Transformation and FLP-recombination
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TransFLP — A Method to Genetically Modify Vibrio cholerae Based on Natural Transformation and FLP-recombination

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VGJ phi, a novel filamentous phage of Vibrio cholerae, integrates into the same chromosomal site as CTX phi

Javier Campos1, Eriel Martínez, Edith Suzarte

  • 1Departamento de Genética, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas, Havana, Cuba. javier@biocnic.edu.cu

Journal of Bacteriology
|September 18, 2003
PubMed

Insights

A new filamentous phage, VGJ phi, infects Vibrio cholerae strains and integrates into the genome. This discovery sheds light on phage-host interactions and the evolution of bacterial pathogens.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Virology
  • Genomics

Background:

  • Vibrio cholerae causes cholera, a significant global health concern.
  • Filamentous phages are important genetic elements in bacteria, influencing host evolution and virulence.
  • CTX phi is a well-characterized filamentous phage of V. cholerae, known for its role in cholera toxin gene acquisition.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize a novel filamentous phage, VGJ phi, isolated from Vibrio cholerae O139.
  • To investigate the genomic organization and infection mechanism of VGJ phi.
  • To explore the integration mechanism and evolutionary implications of VGJ phi in V. cholerae.

Main Methods:

  • Isolation and characterization of VGJ phi from Vibrio cholerae.
  • Whole-genome sequencing of VGJ phi.
  • Bioinformatic analysis of phage genome and comparison with known phages.
  • Investigation of phage infection and integration mechanisms using molecular techniques.

Main Results:

  • VGJ phi infects all tested O1 and O139 Vibrio cholerae strains.
  • The VGJ phi genome (7,542 nucleotides) shows similarity to other filamentous phages but possesses a unique region.
  • VGJ phi utilizes the mannose-sensitive hemagglutinin pilus for infection and integrates into the same chromosomal attB site as CTX phi.
  • A novel ORF (ORF112) in VGJ phi encodes a protein similar to single-stranded DNA binding proteins.

Conclusions:

  • VGJ phi represents a novel filamentous phage with implications for V. cholerae biology.
  • The integration mechanism of VGJ phi into the V. cholerae genome provides insights into phage-host dynamics.
  • The study proposes a model for the evolution of the CTX chromosomal region driven by repeated phage integration events.

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