Toothpicks, logic, and next-generation sequencing: systematic investigation of bacteriophage-host interactions
Open access
Date
2022-12Type
- Review Article
ETH Bibliography
no
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Abstract
Bacteriophages are abundant and diverse predators that drive community dynamics in many ecosystems and hold great potential for biotechnology and as therapeutics for bacterial infections. Previous research has largely explored phage-host interactions one-by-one, which limited our ability to observe phenotypic patterns, to uncover their genetic basis, and to unravel the underlying molecular mechanisms. However, the famous ‘toothpicks and logic’ were recently joined by large-scale sequencing of phage genomes and bacterial genome-wide screens that enable us to systematically investigate phage-host interactions. In this article, we highlight recent breakthroughs from the molecular basis of phage host range and receptor recognition over new insights into bacterial immunity to the serendipitous discovery of a new bacterial surface glycan. Future work will enable the understanding, prediction, and engineering of more complicated phage traits for new applications and extend the scope of these studies from simple test tube experiments to natural communities of phages and hosts. Show more
Permanent link
https://doi.org/10.3929/ethz-b-000603821Publication status
publishedExternal links
Journal / series
Current Opinion in MicrobiologyVolume
Pages / Article No.
Publisher
Current BiologyOrganisational unit
09807 - Harms, Alexander / Harms, Alexande
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ETH Bibliography
no
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