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Updated: Jun 5, 2025

Author Spotlight: Efficiently Eliminating Bacteriophages from Infected Salmonella Cultures Using Lipopolysaccharides
Published on: June 28, 2024
Dual role of phage terminase in Salmonella enterica oxidative stress response
Senfeng Zhang1, Shengsheng Ma1, Feizuo Wang1
1Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117543, Singapore.
Abstract:
The adaptive survival mechanisms of bacterial pathogens under host-induced stress are crucial for understanding pathogenesis. Recently, Uppalapati et al. revealed a unique dual function of the Gifsy-1 prophage terminase in Salmonella enterica: it acts as a transfer ribonuclease (tRNase) under oxidative stress. The Gifsy-1 prophage terminase targets and fragments tRNALeu to halt translation and temporarily impairs bacterial growth when exposed to high levels of ROS generated by the host immune cells. This response not only preserves genomic integrity by facilitating DNA repair but also inhibits prophage mobilization, thereby aiding in bacterial survival within vertebrate hosts. This study highlights a novel intersection between phage biology and bacterial adaptive strategies.
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