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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...
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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...
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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...
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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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Author Spotlight: Efficiently Eliminating Bacteriophages from Infected Salmonella Cultures Using Lipopolysaccharides
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A bacteriophage endolysin that eliminates intracellular streptococci.

Yang Shen1, Marilia Barros2, Tarek Vennemann2

  • 1Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, University of Maryland, College Park, Rockville, United States.

Elife
|March 16, 2016
PubMed
Summary

PlyC, an endolysin, effectively eliminates intracellular Streptococcus pyogenes by crossing cell membranes. This discovery highlights PlyC

Keywords:
<i>s. pyogenes</i>bacteriophagebiochemistrybiophysicsendolysinhumanmembrane proteinstructural biologystructure/function

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Area of Science:

  • Microbiology and Molecular Biology
  • Antimicrobial Research

Background:

  • Streptococcus pyogenes (Spy) infections can be refractory, often involving intracellular bacteria.
  • Bacteriophage-encoded endolysins are known to lyse bacteria but typically act extracellularly.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the potential of PlyC endolysin in controlling intracellular Spy.
  • To elucidate the mechanism by which PlyC interacts with and penetrates host cell membranes.

Main Methods:

  • Demonstration of PlyC holoenzyme's ability to cross epithelial cell membranes.
  • Quantitative studies with model membranes to identify PlyCB-lipid interactions.
  • Neutron reflection, crystallography, docking, and site-directed mutagenesis to determine interaction specificity and key residues.

Main Results:

  • PlyC holoenzyme, via its PlyCB subunit, effectively clears intracellular Spy in a dose-dependent manner.
  • PlyCB exhibits specific and strong interaction with phosphatidylserine (PS) on model membranes.
  • Neutron reflection confirms PlyC penetration of lipid bilayers above a threshold PS concentration.

Conclusions:

  • PlyC is the first native endolysin reported to traverse epithelial cell membranes.
  • PlyC demonstrates potential as an antimicrobial agent for both extracellular and intracellular Spy.
  • PlyC serves as a potential scaffold for engineering novel antimicrobial functionalities.