CRISPR-Cas: an efficient tool for genome engineering of virulent bacteriophages.

ABSTRACT: Bacteriophages are now widely recognized as major players in a wide variety of ecosystems. Novel genes are often identified in newly isolated phages as well as in environmental metavirome studies. Most of these novel viral genes have unknown functions but appear to be coding for small, non-structural proteins. To understand their biological role, very efficient genetic tools are required to modify them, especially in the genome of virulent phages. We first show that specific point mutations and large deletions can be engineered in the genome of the virulent phage 2972 using the Streptococcus thermophilus CRISPR-Cas Type II-A system as a selective pressure to increase recombination efficiencies. Of significance, all the plaques tested contained recombinant phages with the desired mutation.

SUBMITTER: Martel B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4132740 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature