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Related Concept Videos

DNA Bacteriophages01:26

DNA Bacteriophages

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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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Lytic Cycle of Bacteriophages01:30

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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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Viral Replication: Lytic Cycle01:20

Viral Replication: Lytic Cycle

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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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Lysogenic Cycle of Bacteriophages00:43

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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...
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Viral Replication: Lysogenic Cycle01:16

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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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Transduction01:16

Transduction

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Among the three main modes of HGT—transformation, conjugation, and transduction—transduction is unique in that it is mediated by bacteriophages, or bacterial viruses.Transduction occurs in two ways. Generalized transduction occurs during the lytic cycle of a bacteriophage infection. In this process, bacteriophages infect bacterial cells, replicate within them, and ultimately cause cell lysis, releasing newly assembled virions. Occasionally, random fragments of the bacterial genome...
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Author Spotlight: Efficiently Eliminating Bacteriophages from Infected Salmonella Cultures Using Lipopolysaccharides
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On Phage Adsorption to Bacterial Chains.

Rasmus Skytte Eriksen1, Namiko Mitarai1, Kim Sneppen1

  • 1Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Biophysical Journal
|October 18, 2020
PubMed
Summary

Bacterial arrangement impacts bacteriophage adsorption and infection. Structured arrangements like microcolonies and chains show lower adsorption and reduced burst sizes compared to well-mixed bacteria.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Biophysics
  • Systems Biology

Background:

  • Bacterial spatial arrangement influences microbial community dynamics and interactions.
  • Understanding phage-bacteria interactions is crucial for applications like phage therapy.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how bacterial spatial structures affect bacteriophage adsorption and infection dynamics.
  • To quantify the relationship between bacterial arrangement geometry and phage adsorption rates.

Main Methods:

  • Quantitative analysis of bacteriophage adsorption to different bacterial configurations (microcolonies, chains, well-mixed).
  • Mathematical modeling to determine scaling exponents for adsorption rates.
  • Assessment of phage infection parameters, including burst size and superinfection, in structured arrangements.

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Main Results:

  • Bacteriophage adsorption rates are significantly lower in structured bacterial arrangements (microcolonies, chains) compared to well-mixed populations.
  • Adsorption rate scaling exponents differ for microcolonies (~1/3) and chains (~0.5-0.8) versus well-mixed bacteria (1).
  • Spatially clustered bacteria reduce effective phage burst size by over 50% and promote rapid superinfections post-lysis.

Conclusions:

  • Bacterial spatial organization is a critical factor modulating phage-bacteria interactions.
  • Structured bacterial arrangements can limit phage efficacy by reducing adsorption and altering infection outcomes.
  • These findings have implications for controlling bacterial infections using bacteriophages.