Host control by SPβ phage regulatory switch as potential manipulation strategy
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Updated: Aug 15, 2025

Phage-Mediated Genetic Manipulation of the Lyme Disease Spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi
Published on: September 28, 2022
Valentina A Floccari1, Anna Dragoš1
1Department of Microbiology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Večna pot 111, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Abstract:
The interaction between temperate phages and their bacterial hosts has always been one of the most controversial in nature. As genetic parasites, phages need their hosts to propagate, while the host may take advantage of the genetic arsenal carried in the phage genome. This intriguing host-parasite interplay with an evident mutualistic implication could be challenged by recent discoveries of alternative phage lifestyles and regulatory systems that seem to support a manipulative strategy pursued by the phage. Through two fascinating novel mechanisms concerning the active lysogeny and a phage-encoded quorum sensing system, referred as 'Arbitrium', employed by SPβ-like phages of Bacilli, we propose the parasite manipulation as ecological relationship between certain temperate phages and bacteria.
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