title: Reverse transcriptase-mediated tropism switching in Bordetella bacteriophage.
abstract: Host-pathogen interactions are often driven by mechanisms that promote genetic variability. We have identified a group of temperate bacteriophages that generate diversity in a gene, designated mtd (major tropism determinant), which specifies tropism for receptor molecules on host Bordetella species. Tropism switching is the result of a template-dependent, reverse transcriptase-mediated process that introduces nucleotide substitutions at defined locations within mtd. This cassette-based mechanism is capable of providing a vast repertoire of potential ligand-receptor interactions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
authors.forename: Minghsun
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Rajendar
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Deora
authors.forename: Sergei R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Doulatov
authors.forename: Mari
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gingery
authors.forename: Frederick A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Eiserling
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Preston
authors.forename: Duncan J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Maskell
authors.forename: Robert W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Simons
authors.forename: Peggy A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Cotter
authors.forename: Julian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Parkhill
authors.forename: Jeff F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D001435:Bacteriophages / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D016950:Bordetella bronchiseptica / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology*; D005814:Genes, Viral; D014644:Genetic Variation; D016679:Genome, Viral; D009154:Mutation; D012194:RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011991:Receptors, Virus / Q000378:metabolism; D012091:Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid; D013698:Templates, Genetic
chemical_list: D011991:Receptors, Virus; D012194:RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase