An N4-like <i>Caulobacter</i> phage requires host smooth lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis for infection.

ABSTRACT: Caulobacter species are Alphaproteobacteria that commonly inhabit plant-associated and aquatic microbial communities. Although Caulobacter is widespread and has long served as a model for the study of bacterial cell biology, our understanding of the diversity of viruses that infect Caulobacter species is limited. Here, we describe the discovery and characterization of Circe, a freshwater N4-like podophage belonging to the Schitoviridae family that infects C. crescentus. We isolated two variants, CirceC and CirceH, that differ by a single nucleotide resulting in an F91I substitution in Gp063, an uncharacterized protein found in diverse bacteriophages and bacteria. While both Circe variants adsorb to C. crescentus with similar efficiency, they produc

SUBMITTER: McLaughlin M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12633290 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature