A5063519218- Bacteriophages and microbial interactions
- Viral gastroenteritis research and epidemiology
- Bacterial Genetics and Biotechnology
- Escherichia coli research studies
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- RNA and protein synthesis mechanisms
- Cancer Research and Treatments
- Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology
- CRISPR and Genetic Engineering
- Biochemical and Molecular Research
- Salmonella and Campylobacter epidemiology
- Herpesvirus Infections and Treatments
- Gut microbiota and health
- Microbial Natural Products and Biosynthesis
- RNA modifications and cancer
- Enterobacteriaceae and Cronobacter Research
- Protist diversity and phylogeny
- Bacterial biofilms and quorum sensing
- Viral Infections and Immunology Research
- Genomics, phytochemicals, and oxidative stress
- Microbial infections and disease research
- Carbohydrate Chemistry and Synthesis
- Circadian rhythm and melatonin
- Plant Virus Research Studies
- RNA regulation and disease
University of York
2014-2025
University of British Columbia
2011-2013
University of Liverpool
2007-2012
Abstract Background Stx bacteriophages are responsible for driving the dissemination of toxin genes ( stx ) across their bacterial host range. Lysogens carrying phages can cause severe, life-threatening disease and is an integral virulence factor. The Stx-bacteriophage vB_EcoP-24 B , commonly referred to as Ф24 B, capable multiply infecting a single cell at high frequency, with secondary infection increasing rate which subsequent bacteriophage infections occur. This biologically unusual,...
The gene transfer agent (RcGTA) of Rhodobacter capsulatus is the model for a family novel bacteriophage-related genetic elements that carry out lateral essentially random host DNA. Genuine and putative agents have been discovered in diverse genera are becoming recognized as potentially an important source exchange microbial evolution oceans. Despite being over 30 years ago, little known about many essential aspects RcGTA biology. Here, we validate use direct fluorescence reporter constructs,...
Abstract Gene transfer agents (GTAs) are thought to be ancient bacteriophages that have been co-opted into serving their host and can now any gene between bacteria. Production of GTAs is controlled by several global regulators through unclear mechanisms. In Rhodobacter capsulatus , rcc01865 encodes a putative regulatory protein essential for GTA production. Here, I show (hereafter gafA ) transcriptional regulator binds the promoter initiate production structural DNA packaging components....
Shigatoxigenic Escherichia coli emerged as new food borne pathogens in the early 1980s, primarily driven by dispersal of Shiga toxin-encoding lambdoid bacteriophages. At least some these Stx phages display superinfection phenotypes, which differ significantly from lambda phage itself, driving through situ recombination further evolution, increasing host range and potentially host's pathogenic profile. Here, levels Φ24 B integrase expression multiple lysogen cultures are demonstrated along...
ABSTRACT The gene transfer agent of Rhodobacter capsulatus (RcGTA) is a bacteriophage-like genetic element with the sole known function horizontal transfer. Homologues RcGTA genes are present in many members alphaproteobacteria and may serve an important role microbial evolution. Transcription induced as cultures enter stationary phase; however, little about cis -active sequences. In this work, we identify promoter first structural cluster. Additionally, transduction frequency depends on...
Class IIa histone deacetylases (HDACs) regulate the activity of many transcription factors to influence liver gluconeogenesis and development specialized cells, including muscle, neurons, lymphocytes. Here, we describe a conserved role for class HDACs in sustaining robust circadian behavioral rhythms Drosophila cellular mammalian cells. In mouse fibroblasts, overexpression HDAC5 severely disrupts transcriptional core clock genes. decreases BMAL1 acetylation on Lys-537 pharmacological...
Bacteriophages are the source of many valuable tools for molecular biology and genetic manipulation. In Streptomyces, most DNA cloning vectors based on serine integrase site-specific recombination systems derived from phage. Because their efficiency simplicity, integrases also used diverse synthetic applications. Here, we present genome a new Streptomyces phage, ϕJoe, investigate conditions integration excision ϕJoe genome. belongs to largest phage cluster (R4-like) encodes integrase. The...
Bacteriophage lambda has an archetypal immunity system, which prevents the superinfection of its Escherichia coli lysogens. It is now known that can occur with toxigenic lambda-like phages at a high frequency, and here we demonstrate lysogen lead to acquisition additional genomes, was confirmed by Southern hybridization quantitative PCR. As many as eight integration events were observed but very low frequency (6.4 x 10(-4)) always multiple insertions established primary site in E. coli....
ABSTRACT Microviruses are single-stranded DNA viruses infecting bacteria, characterized by T = 1 shells made of single jelly-roll capsid proteins. To understand how microviruses infect their host cells, we have isolated and studied an unusually large microvirus, Ebor. Ebor belongs to the proposed “Tainavirinae” subfamily Microviridae infects model Alphaproteobacterium Rhodobacter capsulatus . Using cryogenic electron microscopy, show that enlarged is result extended C-terminus major protein....
The key virulence factor in Shiga-toxigenic Escherichia coli is the expression of Shiga toxin (Stx), which conferred by Stx-encoding temperate lambdoid phages (Stx-phages). It had been assumed that Stx-phages would behave similarly to lambda phage. However, contrary superinfection immunity model, it has demonstrated double lysogens can be produced with Stx-phage Phi24(B). Here, Phi24(B) integrase gene identified, and preferred site integration defined. Although an E. int was identified close...
Shigatoxigenic Escherichia coli (STEC) such as E. O157 are significant human pathogens, capable of producing severe, systemic disease outcomes. The more serious symptoms associated with STEC infection primarily the result Shiga toxin (Stx) production, directed by converting Stx bacteriophages. During phage-mediated replication and host cell lysis, toxins released en masse from bacterial cells, severity is linked inexorably to load. It common for a single harbour than one heterogeneous...
Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) strains are food-borne pathogens whose ability to produce toxin (Stx) is due integration of Stx-encoding lambdoid bacteriophages. These Stx phages both genetically and morphologically heterogeneous, here we report the design validation a PCR-based multilocus typing scheme. PCR primer sets were designed for database variants range key bacteriophage genes applied control 70 stx(+) phage preparations induced from collection STEC isolates. The...
A high-throughput 96-well plate-based method for the rapid induction of endogenous prophages from individual bacterial strains was developed. The detection achieved by filtration culture liquor following norfloxacin and subsequent PCRs targeting bacteriophage-carried gene markers. tested on 188 putative Shiga toxin (Stx)-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) demonstrated ability to detect both lambdoid stx-carrying bacteriophages in which plaques were not observed via plaque assay. Lambdoid...
Random transfer of any and all genes between bacteria could be influential in the spread virulence or antimicrobial resistance genes. Discovery true prevalence GTAs sequenced genomes is hampered by their apparent similarity to bacteriophages. Our data allowed prediction small terminases diverse GTA producer species, defining characteristics a “GTA-type” terminase an important step toward novel identification. Importantly, shares many features with its phage counterpart. We propose that...
To establish a prophage state, the genomic DNA of temperate bacteriophages normally becomes integrated into genome their host bacterium by integrase-mediated, site-specific recombination. Serine integrases catalyse single crossover between an attachment site in (attB) and phage (attP) on circularized to generate flanked recombinant sites, attL attR. Exiting state entry lytic growth cycle requires additional phage-encoded protein, recombination directionality factor or RDF, mediate attR...
Gene transfer agents (GTAs) are small virus-like particles that indiscriminately package and any DNA present in their host cell, with clear implications for bacterial evolution. The first transcriptional regulator directly controls GTA expression, GafA, was recently discovered, but its mechanism of action has remained elusive. Here, we demonstrate GafA gene expression via direct interaction the RNA polymerase omega subunit (Rpo-ω) also positively autoregulates own by an Rpo-ω-independent...
Proteobacteria are thought to have diverged from a phototrophic ancestor, according the scattered distribution of phototrophy throughout proteobacterial clade, and so occurrence numerous closely related chemotrophic microorganisms may be result loss genes for phototrophy. A widespread form bacterial is based on photochemical reaction center, encoded by puf puh operons that typically in ‘photosynthesis gene cluster’ (abbreviated as PGC) with pigment biosynthesis genes. Comparison two...
Serine integrases have been shown to be efficient tools for metabolic pathway assembly. To further improve the flexibility and efficiency of engineering via serine integrases, we explored how multiple orthogonally active can applied use in vitro heterologous expression complex biosynthesis pathways Streptomyces spp., major producers useful bioactive natural products. The results show that orthogonal efficiently assemble genes from a single recombination reaction, potentially permitting...
Abstract Transducing bacteriophages and gene transfer agents (GTA) are constrained by their capsids’ structural properties in the length of host DNA they can package. Nanopore sequencing intact capsid-packaged molecules with full-sized reads be used to establish precise lengths identity individual packaged association specific bacterial hosts. This approach was validated using a few well-characterised transducing systems, then applied study encapsidation faecal microbiomes from three healthy...