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Author Spotlight: Efficiently Eliminating Bacteriophages from Infected Salmonella Cultures Using Lipopolysaccharides
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Author Spotlight: Efficiently Eliminating Bacteriophages from Infected Salmonella Cultures Using Lipopolysaccharides

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Structural basis for Salmonella infection by two Microviridae phages

Wanlong Hu1, Zhengjie Liu2, Yuming Wei1

  • 1Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China.

Communications Biology
|August 6, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Two novel Microviridae phages, PJNS001 and PJNS002, were structurally characterized. Their unique mechanisms offer a framework for developing phage therapy against multidrug-resistant Salmonella.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Structural Biology
  • Virology

Background:

  • The rise of multidrug-resistant Salmonella necessitates novel antimicrobial approaches like phage therapy.
  • Microviridae phages are valuable models for understanding phage-host interactions due to their distinct mechanisms.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify and structurally characterize novel Microviridae phages.
  • To elucidate the structural basis of phage-host interactions and specificity.

Main Methods:

  • Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) was used to determine the structures of two Microviridae phages.
  • Structural analysis and in situ visualization were employed to study phage-host interactions.

Main Results:

  • The cryo-EM structures of phages PJNS001 and PJNS002 were determined at high resolution (2.68 Å and 2.59 Å).
  • A unique vertex reinforcement mechanism was identified, stabilizing the icosahedral T=1 capsids.
  • Specific pentameric adaptations and DNA binding protein interactions were found to prevent hybrid virion formation.
  • Spike protein features and host-attachment intermediates were revealed, informing host specificity.

Conclusions:

  • These findings provide a detailed structural understanding of Microviridae infection mechanisms.
  • The study offers a structural framework for the rational design of phages as therapeutic agents against antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

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