Affiliation:
1. Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
Abstract
Bacteriophages are obligate intracellular parasites of bacteria. Some bacteriophages can confer novel bacterial phenotypes, including pathogenicity, through horizontal gene transfer (HGT). The pathogenic bacterium
Citrobacter rodentium
infects mice using mechanisms similar to those employed by human gastrointestinal pathogens, making it an important model organism. Here, we examined the 10 prophages of
C. rodentium
, investigating their roles in its evolution toward virulence. We characterized ΦNP and ΦSM, two endogenous active temperate bacteriophages likely important for HGT. We showed that the 10 prophages encode predicted virulence factors and are conserved within other intestinal pathogens. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that they represent a conserved family of horizontally acquired enteric-bacterium-associated pathogenic determinants. Consequently, similar analysis of prophage elements in other pathogens might further understanding of their evolution and pathology.
Funder
China Scholarship Council
RCUK | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
Cambridge Commonwealth, European and International Trust
Publisher
American Society for Microbiology
Subject
Molecular Biology,Microbiology
Cited by
17 articles.
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