Host genetic requirements for DNA release of lactococcal phage TP901-1

Sofía Ruiz-Cruz, Andrea Erazo Garzon, Philip Kelleher, Francesca Bottacini, Solvej Østergaard Breum, Horst Neve, Knut J. Heller, Finn K. Vogensen, Simon Palussière, Pascal Courtin, Marie-Pierre Chapot-Chartier, Evgeny Vinogradov, Irina Sadovskaya, Jennifer Mahony*, Douwe van Sinderen

*Corresponding author for this work

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Abstract

The first step in phage infection is the recognition of, and adsorption to, a receptor located on the host cell surface. This reversible host adsorption step is commonly followed by an irreversible event, which involves phage DNA delivery or release into the bacterial cytoplasm. The molecular components that trigger this latter event are unknown for most phages of Gram-positive bacteria. In the current study, we present a comparative genome analysis of three mutants of Lactococcus cremoris 3107, which are resistant to the P335 group phage TP901-1 due to mutations that affect TP901-1 DNA release. Through genetic complementation and phage infection assays, a predicted lactococcal three-component glycosylation system (TGS) was shown to be required for TP901-1 infection. Major cell wall saccharidic components were analysed, but no differences were found. However, heterologous gene expression experiments indicate that this TGS is involved in the glucosylation of a cell envelope-associated component that triggers TP901-1 DNA release. To date, a saccharide modification has not been implicated in the DNA delivery process of a Gram-positive infecting phage.

Original languageEnglish
JournalMicrobial Biotechnology
Volume15
Issue number12
Pages (from-to)2875-2889
Number of pages15
ISSN1751-7907
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2022

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© 2022 The Authors. Microbial Biotechnology published by Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

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