title: Inhibition of development of Shiga toxin-converting bacteriophages by either treatment with citrate or amino acid starvation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) are pathogenic strains, whose virulence depends on induction of Shiga toxin-converting prophages and their subsequent lytic development. We explored which factors or conditions could inhibit development of these phages, potentially decreasing virulence of STEC.
  
  
  METHODS
  Lytic development of Shiga toxin-converting bacteriophages was monitored after mitomycin C-provoked prophage induction under various conditions. Phage DNA replication efficiency was assessed by measurement of DNA amount in cells using quantitative polymerase chain reaction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We demonstrated that the use of citrate delayed Shiga toxin-converting phage development after prophage induction. This effect was independent on efficiency of prophage induction and phage DNA replication. However, an excess of glucose reversed the effect of citrate. Amino acid starvation prevented the phage development in bacteria both able and unable to induce the stringent response.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lytic development of Shiga toxin-converting bacteriophages can be inhibited by either the presence of citrate or amino acid starvation. We suggest that the inhibition caused by the latter condition may be due to a block in prophage induction or phage DNA replication or both.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings may facilitate development of procedures for treatment of STEC-infected patients.
authors: Department of Molecular Biology, University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland.
authors: Bożena
authors: B
authors: Nejman-Faleńczyk
authors: Piotr
authors: P
authors: Golec
authors: Monika
authors: M
authors: Maciąg
authors: Alicja
authors: A
authors: Wegrzyn
authors: Grzegorz
authors: G
authors: Węgrzyn
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D019343:Citric Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003090:Coliphages / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D004261:DNA Replication; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000821:virology*; D039002:Prophages / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D022621:Shiga Toxin / Q000378:metabolism*; D054323:Shiga-Toxigenic Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology*; D013217:Starvation; D014775:Virus Activation / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004279:DNA, Viral; D019343:Citric Acid; D022621:Shiga Toxin