Gene product 0.4 increases bacteriophage T7 competitiveness by inhibiting host cell division.
Bacteriophages take over host resources primarily via the activity of proteins expressed early in infection. One of these proteins, produced by the Escherichia coli phage T7, is gene product (Gp) 0.4. Here, we show that Gp0.4 is a direct inhibitor of the E. coli filamenting temperature-sensitive mutant Z division protein. A chemically synthesized Gp0.4 binds to purified filamenting temperature-sensitive mutant Z protein and directly inhibits its assembly in vitro. Consequently, expression of Gp0.4 in vivo is lethal to E. coli and results in bacteria that are morphologically elongated. We further show that this inhibition of cell division by Gp0.4 enhances the bacteriophage's competitive ability. This division inhibition is thus a fascinating example of a strategy in bacteriophages to maximize utilization of their hosts' cell resources.
Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel.
Ruth
R
Kiro
Shahar
S
Molshanski-Mor
Ido
I
Yosef
Sara L
SL
Milam
Harold P
HP
Erickson
Udi
U
Qimron
D000220:Adaptation, Biological / Q000235:genetics*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D017123:Bacteriophage T7 / Q000235:genetics*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000235:genetics; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000166:cytology / Q000821:virology*; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology*
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; C071525:FtsZ protein, Bacteria; D014764:Viral Proteins
bacterial division; bacteriophage biology; host takeover