Mycobacteriophage L5 infection of Mycobacterium bovis BCG: implications for phage genetics in the slow-growing mycobacteria

Molecular Microbiology
K J Fullner, Graham F Hatfull

Abstract

Mycobacteriophage L5 is a well-characterized temperate phage that forms stable lysogens in Mycobacterium smegmatis. The host range of L5 is, however, unclear because previous reports suggested that it does not infect slow-growing mycobacteria such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis and bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG). Moreover, luciferase reporter phage derivatives of L5 failed to produce light from BCG, suggesting that infection is blocked at or before the stage of DNA injection. In this study, we demonstrate that L5 infection of slow growing mycobacteria specifically requires a high concentration of Ca2+, conditions that differs from those required for infection of M. smegmatis by L5 and for infection of BCG by the closely related phage D29. In addition, we show that there are specific genetic determinants of L5 that confer the ability to infect slow growing mycobacteria, without altering infection of M. smegmatis. These observations extend the use of phage L5 for the diagnosis and analysis of tuberculosis and other mycobacterial diseases.

Citations

Jun 27, 2000·FEMS Microbiology Letters·S ChatterjeeS K Das Gupta
Jan 29, 2000·Molecular Microbiology·J A Lewis, G F Hatfull
Jun 10, 2010·Annual Review of Microbiology·Graham F Hatfull
Oct 23, 2012·Virology·Deborah Jacobs-SeraGraham F Hatfull
Jun 24, 1998·Journal of Molecular Biology·M E FordG F Hatfull
Dec 5, 2017·BMC Microbiology·Rebekah M DedrickGraham F Hatfull
Oct 18, 2015·Applied and Environmental Microbiology·Sourabh SamaddarSujoy K Das Gupta
Mar 24, 2006·FEMS Microbiology Letters·Michael L KentLuiz E Bermudez
Jan 1, 2014·Bacteriophage·Denis ArutyunovChristine M Szymanski
Dec 21, 2000·Molecular Microbiology·J MediavillaG F Hatfull
Jun 22, 2000·Journal of Theoretical Biology·T Kunisawa

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