Characterization of a broad-host-range flagellum-dependent phage that mediates high-efficiency generalized transduction in, and between, Serratia and Pantoea

Abstract

A phage (WOT8) isolated on Serratia sp. ATCC 39006 was shown to be flagellum-dependent, and to mediate generalized transduction with high efficiency (up to 10 "4 transductants per p.f.u.). WOT8 was shown to have a broad host range because it also infected a strain of Pantoea agglomerans isolated from the rhizosphere. Transduction of plasmid-borne antibiotic resistance between the two bacterial genera was demonstrated, consistent with purported ecological roles of phages in dissemination of genes between bacterial genera. Serratia sp. ATCC 39006 and P. agglomerans produce a number of interesting secondary metabolites that have potential applications in cancer therapy and biocontrol of fungal infections. WOT8 has utility as a powerful functional genomics tool in these bacteria.

Bacteriophage ϕMAM1, a Viunalikevirus, Is a Broad-Host-Range, High-Efficiency Generalized Transducer That Infects Environmental and Clinical Isolates of the Enterobacterial Genera Serratia and Kluyvera

“…Many reports have reported promiscuity in enterobacterial phages (34,35,60,67,68), and MAM1 is another noteworthy example. MAM1 was found to infect 68% of the Serratia marcescens strains tested and a rhizobacterial strain from the Kluyvera genus.…”

“…Transduction has been described in natural environments, such as in sewage, fresh water, and seawater and on plant leaves, reflecting its importance in microbial ecology and in the evolution of microbial populations (14,56). Several Serratia transducing bacteriophages have been identified previously (25,59,60). However, to our knowledge, MAM1 is the first transducing phage described for Serratia plymuthica.…”

Identification and Characterization of a Novel Flagellum-Dependent Salmonella-Infecting Bacteriophage, iEPS5

“…Generally, a phage is able to infect a limited number of bacterial strains or related strains of the same species (2,3). Interactions between a phage and the host bacteria is primarily dependent on the nature and structural characteristics of receptors on the bacterial cell surface (4).…”

Overproduction of individual gas vesicle proteins perturbs flotation, antibiotic production and cell division in the enterobacterium Serratia sp. ATCC 39006

“…Nonetheless, a recent study demonstrated that perturbing the relative amounts of individual proteins can impact on gas vesicle Evans et al (2010) production (Tavlaridou et al, 2013). We expressed each essential gas vesicle protein from a plasmid within WT S39006.…”

“…Although indicated, the inducer IPTG was added, in different concentrations, to plates and liquid culture. Generalized transduction with bacteriophage fOT8 was used to move plasmids between S39006 strains (Evans et al, 2010).…”