Related Experiment Video

Updated: Nov 4, 2025

A Fluorescence-based Method to Study Bacterial Gene Regulation in Infected Tissues
07:10

A Fluorescence-based Method to Study Bacterial Gene Regulation in Infected Tissues

Published on: February 19, 2019

9.2K

The phages of staphylococci: critical catalysts in health and disease

Asma Hatoum-Aslan1

  • 1University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Department of Microbiology, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.

Trends in Microbiology
|May 25, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Bacteriophages (phages) infecting Staphylococcus are key to skin health and disease. Lytic phages show antimicrobial promise, while temperate phages can increase staphylococcal virulence, necessitating broader research.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Virology
  • Skin Microbiome Research

Background:

  • Staphylococcus-infecting phages are abundant in the skin microbiome.
  • Temperate phages can enhance staphylococcal pathogenicity, while lytic phages offer antimicrobial potential.
  • Current research predominantly focuses on Staphylococcus aureus phages, neglecting other species.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review current knowledge on the diversity of Staphylococcus-infecting phages.
  • To explore novel mechanisms of phage influence on staphylococcal pathogenicity.
  • To highlight therapeutic applications of phages against staphylococcal infections.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of recent studies on staphylococcal phages.
  • Analysis of mechanisms by which phages affect staphylococcal host pathogenicity.
  • Survey of current strategies for phage-based antimicrobial therapies.

Main Results:

  • Staphylococcal phages exhibit significant diversity.
  • New mechanisms of phage-mediated pathogenicity modulation have been identified.
  • Phage-based therapies are being developed for staphylococcal infections.
  • There is a need for expanded research on phages infecting diverse Staphylococcus species.

Conclusions:

  • Staphylococcus phages play dual roles in host health and disease.
  • Lytic phages represent a promising avenue for antimicrobial development.
  • Future research should encompass a wider range of Staphylococcus species and their phages.
Keywords:
SaPIStaphylococcuspathogenesisphagephage therapytransduction

More Related Videos

Development and Assessment of Intracellular Infection Models for Staphylococcus aureus08:32

Development and Assessment of Intracellular Infection Models for Staphylococcus aureus

Published on: January 17, 2025

887
Studying Interactions of Staphylococcus aureus with Neutrophils by Flow Cytometry and Time Lapse Microscopy10:40

Studying Interactions of Staphylococcus aureus with Neutrophils by Flow Cytometry and Time Lapse Microscopy

Published on: July 17, 2013

13.3K

Related Concept Videos

Lysogenic Cycle of Bacteriophages00:43

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...
64.7K
Defense Against Bacterial Pathogens01:31

Defense Against Bacterial Pathogens

The human immune system is a complex network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to defend the body against bacterial infections. It consists of various immune cells, each playing a specific role in the defense mechanism.
Phagocytes
Phagocytes are the frontline soldiers of the immune system. They include neutrophils and macrophages. Neutrophils are the most abundant type of white blood cell and are quickly mobilized to the site of infection. Macrophages are larger cells that patrol...
1.7K
Lytic Cycle of Bacteriophages01:30

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...
73.8K
Gene Regulation in Microbial Communities: Quorum Sensing01:28

Gene Regulation in Microbial Communities: Quorum Sensing

Quorum sensing is a mechanism of bacterial communication that enables coordinated gene expression in response to changes in population density. This facilitates collective behaviors that enhance survival, resource acquisition, and ecological adaptation. This process relies on small signaling molecules called autoinducers that accumulate as bacterial populations grow. When a critical threshold concentration of autoinducers is reached, bacterial cells collectively modify gene expression,...
183
Viral Replication: Lysogenic Cycle01:16

Viral Replication: Lysogenic Cycle

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...
599
DNA Bacteriophages01:26

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...
343