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Updated: May 24, 2025

Understanding the Impact of Temperate Bacteriophages on Their Lysogens Through Transcriptomics
Published on: January 5, 2024
A transcription factor from the cryptic Escherichia coli Rac prophage controls both phage and host operons
Ewa Wons1, Katarzyna Gucwa1, Natalia Lewandowska1
1Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 59, Gdansk 80-308, Poland.
Cryptic prophages in bacterial genomes encode transcription factors (TFs) like E. coli's YdaT. When expressed, YdaT causes toxicity by impacting host regulons, suggesting a complex regulatory role.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Genomics
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Bacterial genomes contain cryptic prophages, integrated viral DNA, which can influence host cell physiology.
- Prophages encode transcription factors (TFs) with poorly understood regulatory functions, often silenced under normal conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the Rac prophage transcription factor YdaT in Escherichia coli.
- To elucidate the regulatory mechanisms and host impacts of YdaT expression.
Main Methods:
- Investigated YdaT expression and its inhibition by Rac TFs and the host regulator OxyR.
- Determined YdaT binding sites and its effect on the host rcsA gene and RcsA/B regulon.
Main Results:
- YdaT expression leads to a toxic phenotype, including cell filamentation and death.
- YdaT binds to sites within the Rac locus and upstream of the rcsA gene.
- Increased RcsA levels due to YdaT impact bacterial regulons involved in motility, capsule biosynthesis, and biofilm formation.
Conclusions:
- The bacterial genetic network integrates YdaT in a complex manner, favoring its silenced state.
- The persistence of the YdaT locus suggests potential benefits for the host under unknown stress conditions.
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