Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 6, 2026
08:46
T4 Bacteriophage and E. coli Interaction in the Murine Intestine: A Prototypical Model for Studying Host-Bacteriophage Dynamics In Vivo
Published on: January 26, 2024
S-layer-phage interaction in Clostridioides difficile
Robert P Fagan1, Jason S Wilson2, Per A Bullough1
1Molecular Microbiology, School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Firth Court, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, United Kingdom; Florey Institute of Infection, School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Firth Court, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, United Kingdom.
Current Opinion in Microbiology
|July 23, 2026
Summary
Bacteriophage infection requires navigating bacterial cell envelopes. This review explores phage-S-layer interactions, crucial for understanding infection of S-layer producing bacteria like Clostridioides difficile.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Structural Biology
- Virology
Background:
- Bacteriophage infection necessitates genome injection into host cytoplasm.
- Phages must penetrate bacterial cell envelopes, including cell walls and membranes.
- S-layer producing bacteria present unique challenges for phage infection.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current knowledge on bacteriophage-S-layer interactions.
- To highlight the limited understanding of early phage infection stages in S-layer bacteria.
- To use Clostridioides difficile as a model for studying these interactions.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on phage-S-layer interactions.
- Analysis of structural biology data, including cryo-electron microscopy (cryoEM) findings.
- Case study focusing on Clostridioides difficile.
Main Results:
- Significant advances in understanding S-layer and phage structures individually.
- A persistent gap in molecular-level understanding of phage-S-layer complex during infection.
- Identification of Clostridioides difficile as a relevant model system.
Conclusions:
- Phage-S-layer interactions are critical but understudied aspects of phage biology.
- Further research integrating phage and S-layer structural data is needed.
- Understanding these interactions is key for developing novel antimicrobial strategies.
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