Mycobacterial nucleoid-associated protein Lsr2 is required for productive mycobacteriophage infection.

ABSTRACT: Mycobacteriophages are a diverse group of viruses infecting Mycobacterium with substantial therapeutic potential. However, as this potential becomes realized, the molecular details of phage infection and mechanisms of resistance remain ill-defined. Here we use live-cell fluorescence microscopy to visualize the spatiotemporal dynamics of mycobacteriophage infection in single cells and populations, showing that infection is dependent on the host nucleoid-associated Lsr2 protein. Mycobacteriophages preferentially adsorb at Mycobacterium smegmatis sites of new cell wall synthesis and following DNA injection, Lsr2 reorganizes away from host replication foci to establish zones of phage DNA replication (ZOPR). Cells lacking Lsr2 proceed through to cell lysis when infected but fail to generate con

SUBMITTER: Dulberger CL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10066036 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature