Staphylococcal Phages Adapt to New Hosts by Extensive Attachment Site Variability.

ABSTRACT: Bacterial pathogens commonly carry prophages that express virulence factors, and human strains of Staphylococcus aureus carry Sa3int phages, which promote immune evasion. Recently, however, these phages have been found in livestock-associated, methicillin-resistant S. aureus (LA-MRSA). This is surprising, as LA-MRSA strains contain a mutated primary bacterial integration site, which likely explains why the rare integration events that do occur mostly happen at alternative locations. Using deep sequencing, we show that after initial integration at secondary sites, Sa3int phages adapt through nucleotide changes in their attachment sequences to increase homology with alternative bacterial attachment sites. Importantly, this homology significantly enhances integrations in new rounds of infecti

SUBMITTER: Leinweber H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8649754 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature