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Phage Phenomics: Physiological Approaches to Characterize Novel Viral Proteins

Phage Phenomics: Physiological Approaches to Characterize Novel Viral Proteins

Published on: June 11, 2015

A common evolutionary origin for tailed-bacteriophage functional modules and bacterial machineries.

David Veesler¹, Christian Cambillau

¹Architecture et Fonction des Macromolécules Biologiques (AFMB), UMR 6098 CNRS, and Universités Aix-Marseille I & II, Campus de Luminy, Case 932, 13288 Marseille Cedex 09, France. david.veesler@afmb.univ-mrs.fr

Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews : MMBR

|September 3, 2011

Summary

Tailed bacteriophages use complex tail structures as molecular machines for DNA delivery. This review reveals structural similarities between phage components and bacterial systems like the type VI secretion system (T6SS), suggesting a shared evolutionary origin.

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Area of Science:

Structural biology
Microbiology
Evolutionary biology

Background:

Tailed bacteriophages (order Caudovirales) are crucial viral predators of bacteria.
Their complex tail structures function as molecular nanomachines for host cell infection.
These machines mediate host cell wall recognition, attachment, penetration, and DNA injection.

Purpose of the Study:

To comprehensively analyze the proteins constituting tailed bacteriophages from a structural perspective.
To identify structural resemblances within and between functional modules (capsid/tail connectors, tails, baseplates).
To compare phage structures with related bacterial cell wall machineries.

Main Methods:

Comprehensive structural analysis of tailed bacteriophage proteins.
Comparative analysis of functional modules across different phages.
Examination of structural homology between phage components and bacterial systems (e.g., type VI secretion system, bacteriocins).

Main Results:

Detailed structural insights into bacteriophage capsid/tail connectors, tails, and baseplates.
Revealed significant structural resemblances within and between these phage modules.
Identified shared molecular homology between phage components and bacterial cell wall machineries, including the type VI secretion system (T6SS).

Conclusions:

Tailed bacteriophages and certain bacterial machineries share conserved structural features.
These findings suggest a common evolutionary origin for these protein structures.
A unique ancestral protein fold likely gave rise to diverse bacteriophage modules and related bacterial machinery components.