Mechanisms responsible for a PhiX174 mutant's ability to infect Escherichia coli by phosphorylation.
The ability for a virus to expand its host range is dependent upon a successful mode of viral entry. As such, the host range of the well-studied PhiX174 bacteriophage is dictated by the presence of a particular lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on the bacterial surface. The mutant PhiX174 strain JACS-K, unlike its ancestor, is capable of infecting both its native host Escherichia coli C and E. coli K-12, which does not have the necessary LPS. The conversion of an alanine to a very reactive threonine on its virion surface was found to be responsible for the strain's expanded host range.
Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, 1032 W. Sheridan, LSB 317, Chicago, IL 60660, USA.
Jennifer
J
Cox
Catherine
C
Putonti
D019943:Amino Acid Substitution / Q000235:genetics; D010584:Bacteriophage phi X 174 / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000821:virology*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D053585:Virus Attachment
D014764:Viral Proteins