Bacteriophages and microbial interactions

Dynamic adhesion device of phage OE33PA drives Gram-positive host recognition

This study reports cryo-EM structures of phage OE33PA, revealing a dynamic adhesion device that mediates Gram-positive host recognition through receptor-binding proteins and a hexameric tape measure protein.

A synthetic phageome reveals widespread and diverse human antibody responses to bacteriophages

The paper develops PhageScan to study human antibody responses to bacteriophages, finding widespread IgG reactivity and identifying immunogenic epitopes.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa MucP contributes to RNA phage resistance by targeting phage lysis

This study shows that MucP, a protease in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, reduces RNA phage PP7 lysis by targeting its lysis protein's transmembrane helix, providing resistance against phage-induced cell lysis.

Diversity-generating retroelements enable phages to expand their host range in the human gut.

The paper tracks phage-host interactions in the human gut and finds that DGR-encoding phages interact with multiple bacterial species and show increased nucleotide diversity in their receptor-binding proteins.

Achilles Heel: Type VII Toxin/Antitoxin System Hha/TomB Facilitates Phage Infection by Regulating Cryptic Prophage Lytic Genes

The paper shows that the Hha/TomB type VII TA system in E. coli promotes phage infection by activating cryptic prophage lytic genes, contrary to the typical phage inhibition role of TAs.

Degree bias predicts, outperforms and improves machine learning phage-host interaction predictions

The paper shows that degree bias in phage-host networks inflates ML model performance and proposes a method to improve predictions by removing this bias.

CyranoPS, a novel compact temperate corynephage infecting Corynebacterium glutamicum MB001

The paper describes CyranoPS, a temperate corynephage infecting Corynebacterium glutamicum, and reports its genome structure, infection mechanisms, and lysogeny regulation.

PhagePickr: A bacteria-centric computational tool for designing resistance-aware phage cocktails

PhagePickr designs phage cocktails to reduce host resistance by selecting phages based on bacterial receptor similarity and genomic diversity.

Tailocin as an alternative weapon to type VI secretion system in bee gut symbionts

This study identifies tailocins as a mechanism for intraspecies competition in bee gut symbionts, showing they inhibit susceptible strains and contribute to priority effects.

Illuminating phage dark matter beyond the reach of structural alignments with PhageFlare

PhageFlare predicts functions for phage proteins with no structural matches, outperforming baselines and annotating many previously unresolved proteins.

Viral diversity and activity in Arctic tundra soils in wintertime

This study identifies diverse RNA viruses and viroid-like elements in Arctic tundra soils during wintertime using metatranscriptomics, revealing active viral communities and host interactions.

Structural Basis for Dual Peptidoglycan Hydrolysis by an E. faecium Minhovirus Tail Spike Lysin

The paper characterizes ORF11, a tail-spike lysin from E. faecium Minhovirus, revealing its dual peptidoglycan hydrolysis activity through structural and biochemical analysis.

Fatty Acids Synergize with Bacteriophages Against Multidrug-Resistant Pathogens

This study shows that medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) enhance phage efficacy against multidrug-resistant bacteria by disrupting bacterial envelopes and preventing phage resistance.

A putative GtrB-like glycosyltransferase modulates cation-dependent BCP8-2 phage infection and cell surface structure in Bacillus cereus

Structural basis for MurJ inhibition by phage lysis protein SglPP7 suggesting convergence

The paper determines the cryo-EM structure of the MurJ-SglPP7 complex, revealing how SglPP7 inhibits MurJ and suggesting convergent evolution among phage lysis proteins.

Cell-associated viral community composition and its functional potential in a dimictic lake on the Canadian Shield

The paper characterizes the seasonal dynamics of cell-associated viral communities in Big Turkey Lake, identifies their functional roles through auxiliary metabolic genes, and reconstructs viral genomes.

Dual phage sensing activates an RNA-targeting reverse transcriptase for anti-phage defense

This study identifies DRT4 as a dual-sensor immune system that uses phage-derived signals to activate an RNA-targeting reverse transcriptase for anti-phage defense.

Isolation and characterization of novel Klebsiella phages from Benin and their antibiofilm activities on multidrug resistant and hypervirulent strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae

The paper isolates and characterizes three novel Klebsiella phages from Benin that inhibit biofilm formation in multidrug-resistant and hypervirulent K. pneumoniae strains.

Ecological and metabolic signatures of biofilm viromes across a national river surveillance network

This study characterizes river biofilm viromes across a national network, revealing seasonal structure, host associations, and metabolic functions linked to environmental variables.

Characterization and evaluation of the anti-streptococcal activity of a novel zoocin A-like endopeptidase for potential veterinary applications

This study characterizes a novel zoocin A-like endopeptidase with high selectivity and stability against streptococcal pathogens, showing potential for veterinary applications.

Viral host assignment across the tree of life with VHAMSTeR

VHAMSTeR predicts viral host associations across five categories using genomic language models and biological features, outperforming existing methods and uncovering new RNA bacteriophages.

Large-genome phages encode diverse proteins associated with host cell envelope functions

The paper identifies diverse phage-encoded proteins associated with bacterial cell envelope functions in huge phages, revealing potential roles in host interactions.

Purification of filamentous phage ssDNA genomes using Chaotropic salt/silica methods

The paper develops and optimizes two protocols for purifying ssDNA from filamentous phages using chaotropic salts and silica columns, achieving high recovery and purity comparable to commercial kits.

Dual recognition of phage SSB triggers DRT4 for antiphage defense

This study identifies how DRT4, a bacterial defense system, is activated by dual recognition of phage ssDNA and the SSB protein gp44, leading to RNase activation and antiphage defense.

Unlocking the secrets of paired terminal genomic repeats utilised by the Burkholderia jumbo phage Matilda

This study identifies a novel jumbo phage with a tripartite genome architecture and describes its terminal elements' role in infection.

Layered phage therapy exploits capsule-loss escape and altered antibiotic susceptibility in CG23 hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae

This study shows that combining phages targeting both encapsulated and capsule-deficient Klebsiella pneumoniae strains improves bacterial suppression and antibiotic susceptibility.

A giant virus with a 4-megabase genome and a vastly expanded repeatome.

The paper describes Sissivirus, a giant virus with a 4-megabase genome and a large repeatome, identifying repeat accumulation as a key driver of its genome expansion.

Environmental drivers of soil virus diversity across UK habitats

This study identifies soil pH and habitat type as key drivers of viral diversity and community structure in UK soils, showing strong coupling with bacterial communities.

Benchmarking and integration of viral prediction tools to uncover viral dark matter across divergent low abundance metagenomes

The paper benchmarks viral prediction tools in low-abundance metagenomes and finds that combining tools improves viral detection while reducing false positives.

Temporal dynamics of RNA phage infection reveal bacterial recovery despite ongoing viral replication

The paper studies RNA phage infection dynamics in E. coli, showing bacterial population rebound despite viral replication and cell death.