Bacteriophage Recognition of Flavobacterium johnsoniae sprB Mutants
Mentor 1
Mark McBride
Location
Union Wisconsin Room
Start Date
5-4-2019 1:30 PM
End Date
5-4-2019 3:30 PM
Description
Flavobacterium johnsoniae is a Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacterium belonging to the phylum Bacteroidetes. It moves by a mechanism termed gliding motility and secretes extracellular proteins out of its novel type IX secretion system (T9SS); both gliding motility and the T9SS appear to be confined to the phylum. F. johnsoniae uses cell surface adhesion protein, SprB, to adhere to and move over surfaces. SprB is propelled by a motor around the cell on a helical track, resulting in cell movement. Deletion of sprB results in defects in gliding motility. The mutant cells form nonspreading colonies instead of the spreading colonies formed by wild type cells. Wild-type F. johnsoniae cells are susceptible to lysis by bacteriophage that recognize SprB protein on the cell surface. Bacteriophage (phage) are viruses that infect bacteria. Deletion of sprB results in complete resistance to lysis by some phage (Cj1, Cj13, and Cj23), and partial resistance to another (Cj29). Other phage (Cj28, Cj42, Cj48, and Cj52) still infect and lyse the sprB mutant cells, resulting in plaques. It is not yet known which parts of the SprB protein are required for phage recognition on the cell surface. This study aims to identify the sensitivity of 12 distinct sprB mutants to 8 different bacteriophages (Cj1, Cj13, Cj23, Cj28, Cj29, Cj42, Cj48, and Cj54). Each phage type will be spotted on the various mutants grown in rich media. Bacteriophage recognition of sprB mutants will present as clearing zones (plaques), and indicate the ability of phage to bind to and infect the respective sprB mutant. The results will highlight the roles of individual regions of SprB in phage infection. Our results may inform strategies to use phage to control diseases of animals or humans caused by bacteria of this phylum.
Bacteriophage Recognition of Flavobacterium johnsoniae sprB Mutants
Union Wisconsin Room
Flavobacterium johnsoniae is a Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacterium belonging to the phylum Bacteroidetes. It moves by a mechanism termed gliding motility and secretes extracellular proteins out of its novel type IX secretion system (T9SS); both gliding motility and the T9SS appear to be confined to the phylum. F. johnsoniae uses cell surface adhesion protein, SprB, to adhere to and move over surfaces. SprB is propelled by a motor around the cell on a helical track, resulting in cell movement. Deletion of sprB results in defects in gliding motility. The mutant cells form nonspreading colonies instead of the spreading colonies formed by wild type cells. Wild-type F. johnsoniae cells are susceptible to lysis by bacteriophage that recognize SprB protein on the cell surface. Bacteriophage (phage) are viruses that infect bacteria. Deletion of sprB results in complete resistance to lysis by some phage (Cj1, Cj13, and Cj23), and partial resistance to another (Cj29). Other phage (Cj28, Cj42, Cj48, and Cj52) still infect and lyse the sprB mutant cells, resulting in plaques. It is not yet known which parts of the SprB protein are required for phage recognition on the cell surface. This study aims to identify the sensitivity of 12 distinct sprB mutants to 8 different bacteriophages (Cj1, Cj13, Cj23, Cj28, Cj29, Cj42, Cj48, and Cj54). Each phage type will be spotted on the various mutants grown in rich media. Bacteriophage recognition of sprB mutants will present as clearing zones (plaques), and indicate the ability of phage to bind to and infect the respective sprB mutant. The results will highlight the roles of individual regions of SprB in phage infection. Our results may inform strategies to use phage to control diseases of animals or humans caused by bacteria of this phylum.
