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The mobility of packaged phage genome controls ejection dynamics

Evilevitch, Alex LU orcid (2018) In eLife 7.
Abstract

The cell decision between lytic and lysogenic infection is strongly influenced by dynamics of DNA injection into a cell from a phage population, as phages compete for limited resources and progeny. However, what controls the timing of viral DNA ejection events was not understood. This in vitro study reveals that DNA ejection dynamics for phages can be synchronized (occurring within seconds) or desynchronized (displaying minutes-long delays in initiation) based on mobility of encapsidated DNA, which in turn is regulated by environmental factors, such as temperature and extra-cellular ionic conditions. This mechano-regulation of ejection dynamics is suggested to influence viral replication where the cell's decision between lytic and... (More)

The cell decision between lytic and lysogenic infection is strongly influenced by dynamics of DNA injection into a cell from a phage population, as phages compete for limited resources and progeny. However, what controls the timing of viral DNA ejection events was not understood. This in vitro study reveals that DNA ejection dynamics for phages can be synchronized (occurring within seconds) or desynchronized (displaying minutes-long delays in initiation) based on mobility of encapsidated DNA, which in turn is regulated by environmental factors, such as temperature and extra-cellular ionic conditions. This mechano-regulation of ejection dynamics is suggested to influence viral replication where the cell's decision between lytic and latent infection is associated with synchronized or desynchronized delayed ejection events from phage population adsorbed to a cell. Our findings are of significant importance for understanding regulatory mechanisms of latency in phage and Herpesviruses, where encapsidated DNA undergoes a similar mechanical transition.

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Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
calorimetry, DNA ejection dynamics, DNA pressure, DNA transition, infectious disease, latent and lytic infection, microbiology, molecular biophysics, phage, structural biology, virus
in
eLife
volume
7
article number
e37345
publisher
eLife Sciences Publications
external identifiers
  • scopus:85054427278
  • pmid:30178745
ISSN
2050-084X
DOI
10.7554/eLife.37345
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
438049b7-a7d8-43ff-b1ab-b71348de2245
date added to LUP
2018-10-22 12:58:14
date last changed
2024-06-10 20:32:43
@article{438049b7-a7d8-43ff-b1ab-b71348de2245,
  abstract     = {{<p>The cell decision between lytic and lysogenic infection is strongly influenced by dynamics of DNA injection into a cell from a phage population, as phages compete for limited resources and progeny. However, what controls the timing of viral DNA ejection events was not understood. This in vitro study reveals that DNA ejection dynamics for phages can be synchronized (occurring within seconds) or desynchronized (displaying minutes-long delays in initiation) based on mobility of encapsidated DNA, which in turn is regulated by environmental factors, such as temperature and extra-cellular ionic conditions. This mechano-regulation of ejection dynamics is suggested to influence viral replication where the cell's decision between lytic and latent infection is associated with synchronized or desynchronized delayed ejection events from phage population adsorbed to a cell. Our findings are of significant importance for understanding regulatory mechanisms of latency in phage and Herpesviruses, where encapsidated DNA undergoes a similar mechanical transition.</p>}},
  author       = {{Evilevitch, Alex}},
  issn         = {{2050-084X}},
  keywords     = {{calorimetry; DNA ejection dynamics; DNA pressure; DNA transition; infectious disease; latent and lytic infection; microbiology; molecular biophysics; phage; structural biology; virus}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{09}},
  publisher    = {{eLife Sciences Publications}},
  series       = {{eLife}},
  title        = {{The mobility of packaged phage genome controls ejection dynamics}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.37345}},
  doi          = {{10.7554/eLife.37345}},
  volume       = {{7}},
  year         = {{2018}},
}