bacteriophages
Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyA Novel N4-Like Bacteriophage Isolated from a Wastewater Source in South India with Activity against Several Multidrug-Resistant Clinical Pseudomonas aeruginosa IsolatesIn India, multidrug resistance determinants are much more abundant in community-associated bacterial pathogens due to the improper treatment of domestic and industrial effluents. In particular, a high bacterial load of the opportunistic pathogen P. aeruginosa in sewage and water bodies in India is well documented.
Research Article | Ecological and Evolutionary ScienceGenes Influencing Phage Host Range in Staphylococcus aureus on a Species-Wide ScaleStaphylococcus aureus is a widespread, hospital- and community-acquired pathogen, many strains of which are antibiotic resistant. It causes diverse diseases, ranging from local to systemic infection, and affects both the skin and many internal organs, including the heart, lungs, bones, and brain.
Observation | Ecological and Evolutionary ScienceProphage-Dependent Neighbor Predation Fosters Horizontal Gene Transfer by Natural TransformationProphages are nearly ubiquitous in bacterial species. These integrated phage elements have previously been implicated in horizontal gene transfer (HGT) largely through their ability to carry out transduction (generalized or specialized). Here, we show that prophage-encoded viral particles promote neighbor predation leading to enhanced HGT by natural transformation in the waterborne pathogen...
Editor's Pick Research Article | Applied and Environmental ScienceHumidity and Deposition Solution Play a Critical Role in Virus Inactivation by Heat Treatment of N95 RespiratorsShortages of personal protective equipment, including N95 respirators, during the coronavirus (CoV) disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have highlighted the need to develop effective decontamination strategies for their reuse. This is particularly important in health care settings for reducing exposure to respiratory viruses, like severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes COVID-19. Although several...
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyCharacterization of a Type II-A CRISPR-Cas System in Streptococcus mutansCRISPR-Cas is one of the mechanisms used by bacteria to defend against viral predation. Increasing our knowledge of the biology and diversity of CRISPR-Cas systems will also improve our understanding of virus-bacterium interactions. As CRISPR-Cas systems acquiring novel immunities under laboratory conditions are rare, Streptococcus mutans strain P42S provides an...
Observation | Therapeutics and PreventionA Novel Staphylococcus Podophage Encodes a Unique Lysin with Unusual Modular DesignThe spread of antibiotic resistance among bacterial pathogens is inciting a global public health crisis. Drug-resistant Staphylococcus species, especially S. aureus and S. epidermidis, have emerged in both hospital and community settings, underscoring the urgent need for new strategies to...