Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

DNA Bacteriophages

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...

Modern Molecular Taxonomy

Modern Molecular Taxonomy

Advancements in molecular biology have revolutionized the identification and characterization of bacteria, with multiple methods leveraging DNA sequencing for enhanced precision. As sequencing technologies improve and costs decline, these approaches are increasingly used in clinical, environmental, and evolutionary studies.Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST) examines several housekeeping genes, essential chromosomal genes encoding cellular functions, to distinguish strains. Approximately...

Evolutionary Relationships through Genome Comparisons

Evolutionary Relationships through Genome Comparisons

Genome comparison is one of the excellent ways to interpret the evolutionary relationships between organisms. The basic principle of genome comparison is that if two species share a common feature, it is likely encoded by the DNA sequence conserved between both species. The advent of genome sequencing technologies in the late 20th century enabled scientists to understand the concept of conservation of domains between species and helped them to deduce evolutionary relationships across diverse...

Lysogenic Cycle of Bacteriophages

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...

Microbial Phylogeny

Microbial Phylogeny

Understanding the evolutionary relationships among microorganisms is fundamental to microbial ecology and taxonomy. Phylogenetic trees are essential tools for inferring these relationships, relying primarily on comparative analyses of molecular sequences such as DNA, RNA, or proteins. In microbial studies, these trees typically depict the evolutionary paths of diverse bacterial and archaeal species by mapping genetic differences accumulated over time.Phylogenetic trees are composed of tips,...

Lytic Cycle of Bacteriophages

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...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Toward a Low-Energy Direct-Air Capture Cycle by Reversible Proton-Intercalation-Mediated Alkalization.

Environmental science & technology·2026

Same author

Characterization of Klebsiella Phages Isolated Against a Clinical Host with High Genome and Proteome Identity but Variable Tail Fibers.

Viruses·2026

Same author

Distinct taxonomic signatures in the rhizobiome of two native plants from the polyextreme Salar de Huasco ecosystem.

Environmental microbiome·2026

Same author

Functional Shifts in the Gut DNA Virome in a Long-Distance Migratory Shorebird During the Pre-Migratory Fattening.

Molecular ecology·2026

Same author

Biomechanical 3D tumor models on a micro-milled high-throughput force sensor array.

Biofabrication·2026

Same author

The endomicrobiome and weed invasiveness in Mediterranean ecosystems worldwide.

Nature communications·2026

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 10, 2026

Phage Phenomics: Physiological Approaches to Characterize Novel Viral Proteins

Phage Phenomics: Physiological Approaches to Characterize Novel Viral Proteins

Published on: June 11, 2015

Phage cluster relationships identified through single gene analysis.

Kyle C Smith¹, Eduardo Castro-Nallar, Joshua Nb Fisher

¹Microbiology and Molecular Biology Department, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA.

|June 20, 2013

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

A single gene, Tape Measure Protein (TMP), can accurately predict mycobacteriophage clusters and subclusters. This method simplifies phage classification and analysis, even in complex samples, by avoiding whole genome sequencing.

More Related Videos

Isolation and Genome Analysis of Single Virions using 'Single Virus Genomics'

Isolation and Genome Analysis of Single Virions using 'Single Virus Genomics'

Published on: May 26, 2013

Mapping Bacterial Functional Networks and Pathways in Escherichia Coli using Synthetic Genetic Arrays

Mapping Bacterial Functional Networks and Pathways in Escherichia Coli using Synthetic Genetic Arrays

Published on: November 12, 2012

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 10, 2026

Phage Phenomics: Physiological Approaches to Characterize Novel Viral Proteins

Phage Phenomics: Physiological Approaches to Characterize Novel Viral Proteins

Published on: June 11, 2015

Isolation and Genome Analysis of Single Virions using 'Single Virus Genomics'

Isolation and Genome Analysis of Single Virions using 'Single Virus Genomics'

Published on: May 26, 2013

Mapping Bacterial Functional Networks and Pathways in Escherichia Coli using Synthetic Genetic Arrays

Mapping Bacterial Functional Networks and Pathways in Escherichia Coli using Synthetic Genetic Arrays

Published on: November 12, 2012

Area of Science:

Microbiology
Bioinformatics
Genomics

Background:

Phylogenetic analysis of bacteriophages traditionally relies on whole-genome comparisons.
Current methods for mycobacteriophage classification involve complex genome-wide analyses.
A need exists for simpler methods to classify phages, especially with increasing isolation rates.

Purpose of the Study:

To test the hypothesis that a single, conserved gene can predict mycobacteriophage clusters.
To evaluate the Tape Measure Protein (TMP) gene for its utility in phage classification.

Main Methods:

Comparative analysis of the Tape Measure Protein (TMP) gene sequences from various mycobacteriophages.
Utilized Gepard dotplot comparison and phylogenetic tree construction (global alignment, maximum likelihood).
Developed subcluster-specific primers within the TMP gene for PCR-based identification.

Main Results:

The TMP gene successfully identified known mycobacteriophage clusters and subclusters.
Gepard analysis of TMP sequences accurately assigned 98.8% of subclusters compared to whole-genome methods.
PCR using TMP primers enabled accurate subcluster determination from DNA samples.
Similar utility was observed for siphovirus coliphages, indicating broader applicability.

Conclusions:

Single-gene analysis of TMP supports its efficacy in distinguishing phage clusters and subclusters.
TMP sequence comparison and PCR offer a rapid and accurate method for mycobacteriophage classification.
This approach simplifies phage analysis and classification, reducing reliance on whole-genome sequencing.