Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 13, 2026
09:01
Phage-Mediated Genetic Manipulation of the Lyme Disease Spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi
Published on: September 28, 2022
2.6K
Genomic Relationship Between Brochothrix campestris and Its Phages: A Cross-Replicon and Interspecies Perspective
Sabrina A Attéré1,2, Laurie C Piché1,2, Antony T Vincent1,2
1Département des Sciences Animales, Faculté des Sciences de L'agriculture et de L'alimentation, Université Laval, Quebec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada.
Genes
|October 29, 2025
Summary
Complete genome sequencing of Brochothrix campestris reveals the potential role of phages in its evolution. This study provides insights into the bacterium
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Genomics
- Bacteriology
Background:
- Brochothrix campestris is related to food spoilage and human pathogen bacteria.
- B. campestris produces bacteriocin brochocin-C, inhibiting pathogen growth.
- Phages are implicated in the evolution of related bacteria, but their role in B. campestris is unknown due to limited genomic data.
Purpose of the Study:
- To obtain complete, high-quality genome sequences of B. campestris.
- To investigate the role of phages in B. campestris evolution.
- To identify mobile genetic elements and their potential impact on B. campestris.
Main Methods:
- DNA sequencing of B. campestris type strain DSM 4712 using Oxford Nanopore and Illumina technologies.
- Genome assembly to obtain complete genomic information.
- Bioinformatic analysis to identify plasmids, phages, and genomic islands.
Main Results:
- Complete genome sequences of B. campestris were successfully generated.
- A plasmid and a phage-plasmid were identified within the genome.
- Genomic islands, including one with brochocin genes, were detected, suggesting horizontal gene transfer.
Conclusions:
- Phages likely play a significant role in the evolutionary history of B. campestris.
- The presence of a phage-plasmid and genomic islands highlights mobile genetic elements' importance.
- Further research on Brothothrix-phage interactions is crucial for understanding their biology.
Related Concept Videos
01:26DNA Bacteriophages
790
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...
790
00:43Lysogenic Cycle of Bacteriophages
67.3K
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...
67.3K
01:16Viral Replication: Lysogenic Cycle
1.3K
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...
1.3K
02:53CRISPR and crRNAs
18.7K
Bacteria and archaea are susceptible to viral infections just like eukaryotes; therefore, they have developed a unique adaptive immune system to protect themselves. Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats and CRISPR-associated proteins (CRISPR-Cas) are present in more than 45% of known bacteria and 90% of known archaea.
The CRISPR-Cas system stores a copy of foreign DNA in the host genome and uses it to identify the foreign DNA upon reinfection. CRISPR-Cas has three different...
The CRISPR-Cas system stores a copy of foreign DNA in the host genome and uses it to identify the foreign DNA upon reinfection. CRISPR-Cas has three different...
18.7K
01:30Lytic Cycle of Bacteriophages
77.4K
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...
77.4K
01:23The Antiviral System of Bacteria and Archaea: CRISPR
615
CRISPR stands for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats is a adaptive immune system found in bacteria and archaea that protects against viral infections. This system enables prokaryotic cells to identify, remember, and neutralize foreign genetic elements, primarily bacteriophages, by storing fragments of the invader’s DNA as a genetic memory.The CRISPR immune response begins during an initial infection. Cas (CRISPR-associated) proteins play a central role in this...
615