Molecular Basis of Bacterial Host Interactions by Gram-Positive Targeting Bacteriophages.

ABSTRACT: The inherent ability of bacteriophages (phages) to infect specific bacterial hosts makes them ideal candidates to develop into antimicrobial agents for pathogen-specific remediation in food processing, biotechnology, and medicine (e.g., phage therapy). Conversely, phage contaminations of fermentation processes are a major concern to dairy and bioprocessing industries. The first stage of any successful phage infection is adsorption to a bacterial host cell, mediated by receptor-binding proteins (RBPs). As the first point of contact, the binding specificity of phage RBPs is the primary determinant of bacterial host range, and thus defines the remediative potential of a phage for a given bacterium. Co-evolution of RBPs and their bacterial receptors has forced endless adaptation cycles of phag

SUBMITTER: Dunne M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6115969 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature