Lysogenic conversion and phage resistance development in phage exposed Escherichia coli biofilms.
In this study, three-day old mature biofilms of Escherichia coli were exposed once to either a temperate Shiga-toxin encoding phage (H-19B) or an obligatory lytic phage (T7), after which further dynamics in the biofilm were monitored. As such, it was found that a single dose of H-19B could rapidly lead to a near complete lysogenization of the biofilm, with a subsequent continuous release of infectious H-19B particles. On the other hand, a single dose of T7 rapidly led to resistance development in the biofilm population. Together, our data indicates a profound impact of phages on the dynamics within structured bacterial populations.
Laboratory of Food Microbiology, Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 22, 3001 Leuven, Belgium. pieter.moons@ua.ac.be
Pieter
P
Moons
David
D
Faster
Abram
A
Aertsen
D001435:Bacteriophages / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D018441:Biofilms; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology / Q000821:virology*; D008242:Lysogeny; D022621:Shiga Toxin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D014764:Viral Proteins; D022621:Shiga Toxin