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Related Concept Videos

Viral Replication: Lysogenic Cycle01:16

Viral Replication: Lysogenic Cycle

The lysogenic cycle is a crucial viral replication strategy that allows bacteriophages to persist within host cells without immediately destroying them. This process is primarily observed in temperate phages, such as bacteriophage lambda (λ), which infects Escherichia coli. The cycle allows the viral genome to persist across bacterial generations while keeping host cells viable.Integration of the Viral GenomeUpon infection, bacteriophage lambda attaches to the bacterial surface and injects its...
DNA Bacteriophages01:26

DNA Bacteriophages

Bacteriophages, or phages, are viruses that specifically infect bacteria, utilizing their genetic material to hijack host cellular machinery for replication. DNA bacteriophages employ single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) or double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) genomes. These phages exhibit diverse replication strategies and host interactions, influencing their ecological roles and applications in biotechnology and medicine.ssDNA BacteriophagesssDNA phages, with their small genomes, utilize unique strategies to...
Lytic Cycle of Bacteriophages01:30

Lytic Cycle of Bacteriophages

Bacteriophages, also known as phages, are specialized viruses that infect bacteria. A key characteristic of phages is their distinctive “head-tail” morphology. A phage begins the infection process (i.e., lytic cycle) by attaching to the outside of a bacterial cell. Attachment is accomplished via proteins in the phage tail that bind to specific receptor proteins on the outer surface of the bacterium. The tail injects the phage’s DNA genome into the bacterial cytoplasm. In the lytic replication...
Lysogenic Cycle of Bacteriophages00:43

Lysogenic Cycle of Bacteriophages

In contrast to the lytic cycle, phages infecting bacteria via the lysogenic cycle do not immediately kill their host cell. Instead, they combine their genome with the host genome, allowing the bacteria to replicate the phage DNA along with the bacterial genome. The incorporated copy of the phage genome is called the prophage. Some prophages can re-activate and enter the lytic cycle. This often occurs in response to a perturbation, such as DNA damage, but can also transpire in the absence of...
Bacteriophages of the Human Virome01:23

Bacteriophages of the Human Virome

Bacteriophages are found throughout the human body. They may even outnumber eukaryotic viruses, forming an important and dynamic component of the human virome. Indeed, phages represent the most abundant viral entities, with densities in the gut reaching up to 10⁹ particles per gram of fecal matter, and many belonging to orders such as Caudovirales and Microviridae, while a substantial proportion remains unclassified as viral “dark matter.”Lysogeny and Genetic ExchangeIn the gut, bacteriophages...
Viral Replication: Lytic Cycle01:20

Viral Replication: Lytic Cycle

Bacteriophages, or phages, are viruses that specifically infect bacteria. Among them, T-even bacteriophages, such as T4, exhibit a well-characterized lytic replication cycle in Escherichia coli (E. coli). This process ensures the rapid proliferation of the virus while ultimately leading to the destruction of the bacterial host.Attachment and DNA InjectionThe infection process begins with the recognition and binding of the T4 phage to the E. coli cell surface. Tail fibers of the phage...

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Following Cell-fate in E. coli After Infection by Phage Lambda
06:10

Following Cell-fate in E. coli After Infection by Phage Lambda

Published on: October 14, 2011

Bacteriophage lambda: a paradigm revisited.

Paul C M Fogg1, Heather E Allison, Jon R Saunders

  • 1Microbiology Research Group, School of Biological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, United Kingdom.

Journal of Virology
|April 9, 2010
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Bacteriophage lambda superinfection immunity in Escherichia coli can be overcome, allowing acquisition of multiple lambda genomes. However, this event is rare, occurring at a low frequency, and does not result from immunity mutations.

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Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Bacteriophage lambda possesses a robust immunity system to prevent superinfection in its Escherichia coli lysogens.
  • Recent findings indicate that toxigenic lambda-like phages can cause superinfection at high frequencies.
  • The mechanisms and consequences of overcoming lambda superinfection immunity require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the phenomenon of superinfection in lambda lysogens.
  • To determine if superinfection leads to the acquisition of additional lambda genomes.
  • To analyze the integration sites and genetic stability of acquired lambda genomes.

Main Methods:

  • Southern hybridization to detect and confirm the presence of additional lambda genomes.
  • Quantitative PCR to determine the frequency of integration events.
  • Sequence analysis of the immunity region to rule out mutations.

Main Results:

  • Superinfection of lambda lysogens can result in the acquisition of multiple lambda genomes.
  • Up to eight integration events were observed, albeit at a low frequency (6.4 x 10^-4).
  • Integrations occurred as multiple insertions at the primary integration site, and sequence analysis confirmed the absence of immunity mutations.

Conclusions:

  • Lambda superinfection immunity, while generally effective, can be circumvented.
  • Superinfection leads to rare, low-frequency acquisition of multiple lambda genomes in E. coli.
  • The observed phenomenon is not attributable to mutations in the immunity region, suggesting other mechanisms are involved.