Molecular Piracy: Redirection of Bacteriophage Capsid Assembly by Mobile Genetic Elements.

ABSTRACT: Horizontal transfer of mobile genetic elements (MGEs) is a key aspect of the evolution of bacterial pathogens. Transduction by bacteriophages is especially important in this process. Bacteriophages-which assemble a machinery for efficient encapsidation and transfer of genetic material-often transfer MGEs and other chromosomal DNA in a more-or-less nonspecific low-frequency process known as generalized transduction. However, some MGEs have evolved highly specific mechanisms to take advantage of bacteriophages for their own propagation and high-frequency transfer while strongly interfering with phage production-"molecular piracy". These mechanisms include the ability to sense the presence of a phage entering lytic growth, specific recognition and packaging of MGE genomes into phage capsids,

SUBMITTER: Dokland T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6893505 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature