Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 29, 2026
09:23
Understanding the Impact of Temperate Bacteriophages on Their Lysogens Through Transcriptomics
Published on: January 5, 2024
2.7K
Transcriptome dynamics of a broad host-range cyanophage and its hosts
Shany Doron1, Ayalla Fedida2, Miguel A Hernández-Prieto3
1Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
The ISME Journal
|December 2, 2015
Summary
Broad host-range marine phages like Syn9 use a consistent infection strategy across different cyanobacteria hosts. However, hosts mount unique defense responses, suggesting phage-host interactions depend more on host defenses than phage adaptability.
Area of Science:
- Marine microbiology
- Virology
- Genomics
Background:
- Cyanobacteria are abundant marine microbes, frequently infected by viruses called cyanophages.
- T4-like cyanomyoviruses exhibit broad host ranges, but their infection strategies and host responses remain unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the infection program of the broad host-range cyanophage Syn9 across distinct marine Synechococcus strains.
- To understand how different cyanobacteria hosts respond to infection by the same phage.
Main Methods:
- Microarray and RNA-sequencing analyses were employed to study phage-host interactions.
- Genomic and metagenomic analyses were used to assess the conservation of regulatory elements.
Main Results:
- Syn9 exhibited a nearly identical transcriptional program across three different Synechococcus hosts.
- Three temporally regulated gene expression classes were identified, along with novel regulatory elements.
- Host responses were specific, involving genes in hypervariable genomic islands, indicating these are key in phage-cyanobacteria interactions.
Conclusions:
- Broad host-range cyanophage infectivity appears to rely on host defense mechanisms rather than phage-specific tailoring of infection processes.
- Genomic islands are crucial for host-specific defense strategies against cyanomyoviruses.
Related Concept Videos
01:16Viral Replication: Lysogenic Cycle
2.3K
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...
2.3K
00:43Lysogenic Cycle of Bacteriophages
69.5K
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...
69.5K
01:30Lytic Cycle of Bacteriophages
80.0K
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...
80.0K
01:26DNA Bacteriophages
1.4K
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...
1.4K
01:20Viral Replication: Lytic Cycle
2.5K
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...
2.5K
01:29Viruses with RNA Genomes
1.3K
RNA viruses are categorized into positive-strand, negative-strand, or double-stranded groups based on their genomic structure and replication mechanisms. This classification dictates how they exploit host cellular machinery for protein synthesis and replication. Some RNA viruses also utilize reverse transcription as part of their life cycle, further diversifying their replication strategies.Positive-Strand RNA VirusesPositive-strand RNA viruses have genomes that function directly as messenger...
1.3K