Isolation and Characterization of a Shewanella Phage-Host System from the Gut of the Tunicate, Ciona intestinalis.
Outnumbering all other biological entities on earth, bacteriophages (phages) play critical roles in structuring microbial communities through bacterial infection and subsequent lysis, as well as through horizontal gene transfer. While numerous studies have examined the effects of phages on free-living bacterial cells, much less is known regarding the role of phage infection in host-associated biofilms, which help to stabilize adherent microbial communities. Here we report the cultivation and characterization of a novel strain ofShewanella fidelisfrom the gut of the marine tunicateCiona intestinalis, inducible prophages from theS. fidelisgenome, and a strain-specific lytic phage recovered from surrounding seawater. In vitro biofilm assays demonstrated that lytic phage infection affects biofilm formation in a process likely influenced by the accumulation and integration of the extracellular DNA released during cell lysis, similar to the mechanism that has been previously shown for prophage induction.
College of Marine Science, University of South Florida, St. Petersburg, FL 33701, USA. bleigh@mail.usf.edu.
Brittany
B
Leigh
Department of Pediatrics, University of South Florida, St. Petersburg, FL 33701, USA. ckarrer@mail.usf.edu.
Charlotte
C
Karrer
Department of Pediatrics, University of South Florida, St. Petersburg, FL 33701, USA. jcannon@health.usf.edu.
John P
JP
Cannon
College of Marine Science, University of South Florida, St. Petersburg, FL 33701, USA. mya@usf.edu.
Mya
M
Breitbart
Department of Pediatrics, University of South Florida, St. Petersburg, FL 33701, USA. LJDishaw@health.usf.edu.
Larry J
LJ
Dishaw
D000818:Animals; D001433:Bacteriolysis; D001435:Bacteriophages / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development; D002938:Ciona intestinalis / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000821:virology*; D007422:Intestines / Q000382:microbiology / Q000821:virology; D020592:Shewanella / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology / Q000821:virology*
Shewanella; bacteriophage; biofilm; extracellular DNA