Temperate phage evolve to integrate host stress and quorum signals in lysis-lysogeny decisions.

ABSTRACT: Temperate phage can transmit both horizontally (lytic cycle) and vertically (lysogenic cycle). Many temperate phage have the ability to modify their lysis/lysogeny decisions based on various environmental cues. For instance, many prophage are known to reactivate when SOS stress responses of their host are triggered. Temperate phage infecting Bacilli can also use peptide signals ("arbitrium") to control their lysis/lysogeny decisions. However, information from the arbitrium and SOS systems can be potentially conflicting, and it is unclear how phage integrate information carried by these two different signals when making lysis-lysogeny decisions. Here, we use evolutionary epidemiology theory to explore how phage could evolve to use both systems to modulate lysis/lysogeny decisions in a fluct

SUBMITTER: Bruce JB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12768286 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature