The autolysin LytA contributes to efficient bacteriophage progeny release in Streptococcus pneumoniae.

ABSTRACT: Most bacteriophages (phages) release their progeny through the action of holins that form lesions in the cytoplasmic membrane and lysins that degrade the bacterial peptidoglycan. Although the function of each protein is well established in phages infecting Streptococcus pneumoniae, the role--if any--of the powerful bacterial autolysin LytA in virion release is currently unknown. In this study, deletions of the bacterial and phage lysins were done in lysogenic S. pneumoniae strains, allowing the evaluation of the contribution of each lytic enzyme to phage release through the monitoring of bacterial-culture lysis and phage plaque assays. In addition, we assessed membrane integrity during phage-mediated lysis using flow cytometry to evaluate the regulatory role of holins over the lytic activi

SUBMITTER: Frias MJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2725628 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature