Small protein modules dictate prophage fates during polylysogeny.

ABSTRACT: Most bacteria in the biosphere are predicted to be polylysogens harbouring multiple prophages^1-5. In studied systems, prophage induction from lysogeny to lysis is near-universally driven by DNA-damaging agents⁶. Thus, how co-residing prophages compete for cell resources if they respond to an identical trigger is unknown. Here we discover regulatory modules that control prophage induction independently of the DNA-damage cue. The modules bear little resemblance at the sequence level but share a regulatory logic by having a transcription factor that activates the expression of a neighbouring gene that encodes a small protein. The small protein inactivates the master repressor of lysis, which leads to induction. Polylysogens that harbour two prophages exposed to DNA damag

SUBMITTER: Silpe JE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10432266 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature