biostudies-literatureDe Sordi LInstitut Carnot Pasteur Maladies Infectieuses92-99https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC6363074biostudies-literatureUnknown10(1)Viruses that infect bacteria, or bacteriophages, are among the most abundant entities in the gut microbiome. However, their role and the mechanisms by which they infect bacteria in the intestinal tract remain poorly understood. We recently reported that intestinal bacteria are an evolutionary force, driving the expansion of the bacteriophage host range by boosting the genetic variability of these viruses. Here, we expand these observations by studying antagonistic bacteriophage-bacteria coevolution dynamics and revealing that bacterial genetic variability is also increased under the pressure of bacteriophage predation. We propose a model showing how the expansion of bacteriophage-bacteria infection networks is relative to the opportunities for coevolution encountered in the intestinal tracGut microbes"I will survive": A tale of bacteriophage-bacteria coevolution in the gut.PMC6363074ANR 11-CARN 017-01De Sordi LDebarbieux LLourenco Mfalse"I will survive": A tale of bacteriophage-bacteria coevolution in the gut.Viruses that infect bacteria, or bacteriophages, are among the most abundant entities in the gut microbiome. However, their role and the mechanisms by which they infect bacteria in the intestinal tract remain poorly understood. We recently reported that intestinal bacteria are an evolutionary force, driving the expansion of the bacteriophage host range by boosting the genetic variability of these viruses. Here, we expand these observations by studying antagonistic bacteriophage-bacteria coevolution dynamics and revealing that bacterial genetic variability is also increased under the pressure of bacteriophage predation. We propose a model showing how the expansion of bacteriophage-bacteria infection networks is relative to the opportunities for coevolution encountered in the intestinal trac2019-01-01T00:00:00Z20192025-04-26T11:25:32.458Z2019-03-26T22:55:29ZS-EPMC63630742991309110.1080/19490976.2018.1474322