A Spontaneous rapZ Mutant Impairs Infectivity of Lytic Bacteriophage vB_EcoM_JS09 against Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli.

ABSTRACT: Our understanding of the mechanisms underlying phage-bacterium interactions remains limited. In Escherichia coli, RapZ regulates glucosamine-6-phosphate (GlcN6P) metabolism, the formation of which initiates synthesis of the bacterial cell envelope, including lipopolysaccharides (LPS). However, the role of RapZ, if any, on phage infectivity remains to be investigated. Here, we isolated strains of enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) resistant to its specific lytic bacteriophage vB_EcoM_JS09 (JS09) in a phage aerosol spray experiment. Whole-genome analysis of phage-resistant bacteria revealed the rapZ gene acquired a premature stop mutation at amino acid 227. Here, we report that the mutation in the rapZ gene confers resistance by inhibiting 93.5% phage adsorption. Furthermore, this mutation chang

SUBMITTER: Zhou Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8546717 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature