Abstract
The host range of bacteriophages defines their impact on bacterial communities and genome diversity. Here, we characterize 94 novel staphylococcal phages from wastewater and establish their host range on a diversified panel of 117 staphylococci from 29 species. Using this high-resolution phage-bacteria interaction matrix, we unveil a multi-species host range as a dominant trait of the isolated staphylococcal phages. Phage genome sequencing shows this pattern to prevail irrespective of taxonomy. Network analysis between phage-infected bacteria reveals that hosts from multiple species, ecosystems, and drug-resistance phenotypes share numerous phages. Lastly, we show that phages throughout this network can package foreign genetic material enclosing an antibiotic resistance marker at various frequencies. Our findings indicate a weak host specialism of the tested phages, and therefore their potential to promote horizontal gene transfer in this environment. Show more
Permanent link
https://doi.org/10.3929/ethz-b-000518939Publication status
publishedExternal links
Journal / series
Nature CommunicationsVolume
Pages / Article No.
Publisher
NatureOrganisational unit
03651 - Loessner, Martin / Loessner, Martin
Funding
167090 - Insights into the role of phages on the bacterial resistome (SNF)
659314 - Insight into the role of phages on the bacterial resistome (EC)
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