Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 3, 2026
08:01
Environmental Sampling of Photosynthetic Microbes and Their Viruses: From Field to Lab
Published on: July 3, 2025
707
A Novel Benthic Phage Infecting Shewanella with Strong Replication Ability
Zengmeng Wang1,2, Jiulong Zhao1,2, Long Wang1
1Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China.
Viruses
|November 23, 2019
Summary
Researchers isolated a novel lytic phage, Shewanella phage S0112, from coastal sediments. This phage exhibits high replication and a unique genome, offering new insights into phage-host interactions in marine environments.
Area of Science:
- Marine microbiology
- Virology
- Genomics
Background:
- Coastal sediments harbor diverse phages crucial for biogeochemical cycles.
- Isolation of benthic phages is rare, limiting understanding of their biology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To isolate and characterize a novel benthic phage from coastal sediments.
- To investigate the biological characteristics and genomic novelty of the isolated phage.
Main Methods:
- Isolation of lytic phage from Yellow Sea coastal sediments.
- Infection of Shewanella sediment bacteria.
- Determination of burst size and latent period.
- Genome sequencing and analysis (DNA, ORFs).
- Proteomic analysis (LC-MS/MS) of gene products.
- Comparative genomic and phylogenetic analyses.
Main Results:
- Isolation of Shewanella phage S0112, a novel lytic phage.
- High replication capability (burst size ~1170) and longer latent period.
- Double-stranded DNA genome (62,286 bp, 102 ORFs), with ~60% unknown functions.
- Identification of 16 ORF gene products, including structural proteins.
- Presence of auxiliary metabolic genes potentially involved in preQ0 biosynthesis and a MazG gene.
- Genomic and phylogenetic analyses confirm the novelty of phage S0112.
Conclusions:
- This study reports the first benthic phage infecting Shewanella.
- Phage S0112 possesses unique biological and genomic features.
- Findings enhance understanding of phage-host interactions in coastal sediment ecosystems.
Related Concept Videos
01:26DNA Bacteriophages
698
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...
698
01:20Viral Replication: Lytic Cycle
1.1K
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...
1.1K
00:43Lysogenic Cycle of Bacteriophages
67.2K
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...
67.2K
01:30Lytic Cycle of Bacteriophages
77.2K
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...
77.2K
01:16Viral Replication: Lysogenic Cycle
1.2K
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...
1.2K
01:29Viruses of Archaea
404
Archaeal viruses play a crucial role in the ecosystems of extremophilic archaea, particularly those belonging to the phyla Euryarchaeota and Crenarchaeota. By shaping host evolution and facilitating gene transfer, these viruses influence microbial communities and contribute to genetic diversity in extreme environments. The archaea they infect thrive in acidic hot springs and hydrothermal vents characterized by high temperatures and low pH. Archaeal viruses exhibit remarkable structural...
404