Molecular Basis of Lysis-Lysogeny Decisions in Gram-Positive Phages

Temperate bacteriophages (phages) are viruses of bacteria. Upon infection of a susceptible host, a temperate phage can establish either a lytic cycle that kills the host or a lysogenic cycle as a stable prophage. The life cycle pursued by an infecting temperate phage can have a significant impact no...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Annual review of microbiology 2021-10, Vol.75 (1), p.563-581
Main Authors: Brady, Aisling, Felipe-Ruiz, Alonso, Gallego del Sol, Francisca, Marina, Alberto, Quiles-Puchalt, Nuria, Penadés, José R
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
arbitrium
Bacteria
Decision making
Evolution
genetic switch
life cycle
Life cycles
Lysis
Lysogeny
Molecular modelling
Phages
repressor
SOS response
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Temperate bacteriophages (phages) are viruses of bacteria. Upon infection of a susceptible host, a temperate phage can establish either a lytic cycle that kills the host or a lysogenic cycle as a stable prophage. The life cycle pursued by an infecting temperate phage can have a significant impact not only on the individual host bacterium at the cellular level but also on bacterial communities and evolution in the ecosystem. Thus, understanding the decision processes of temperate phages is crucial. This review delves into the molecular mechanisms behind lysis-lysogeny decision-making in Gram-positive phages. We discuss a variety of molecular mechanisms and the genetic organization of these well-understood systems. By elucidating the strategies used by phages to make lysis-lysogeny decisions, we can improve our understanding of phage-host interactions, which is crucial for a variety of studies including bacterial evolution, community and ecosystem diversification, and phage therapeutics.
ISSN:0066-4227
1545-3251
DOI:10.1146/annurev-micro-033121-020757