PLoS Pathogens (Feb 2025)

A ribosome-interacting jumbophage protein associates with the phage nucleus to facilitate efficient propagation.

  • Wichanan Wannasrichan,
  • Sucheewin Krobthong,
  • Chase J Morgan,
  • Emily G Armbruster,
  • Milan Gerovac,
  • Yodying Yingchutrakul,
  • Patompon Wongtrakoongate,
  • Jörg Vogel,
  • Chanat Aonbangkhen,
  • Poochit Nonejuie,
  • Joe Pogliano,
  • Vorrapon Chaikeeratisak

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1012936
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 21, no. 2
p. e1012936

Abstract

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Bacteriophages must hijack the gene expression machinery of their bacterial host to efficiently replicate. Recently, we have shown that the early-expressed protein gp014 of Pseudomonas nucleus-forming phage phiKZ forms a stable complex with the host ribosomes and modulates the overall protein expression profile during phage infection. Here, we discover a nucleus-forming phage, designated Churi, that is closely related to phiKZ. Churi encodes gp335, a homolog of gp014-phiKZ, which is expressed during the early stages of infection, and its overexpression in bacterial cells interferes with bacterial growth, suggesting its role in phage-host interplay. We predict experimentally that gp335 also interacts with host ribosomal proteins, similar to its homolog gp014-phiKZ, thereby strengthening its involvement in protein translation during phage infection. We further show that GFP-tagged gp335 specifically localizes by clustering around the phage nucleus and remains associated with it throughout the infection cycle. The CRISPR-Cas13-mediated deletion of gp335 reveals that the mutant phage fails to replicate efficiently, resulting in an extended latent period. Altogether, our study demonstrates that gp335 is an early-expressed protein of the Chimallivirus Churi that localizes in proximity to the phage nucleus, likely serving a role in localized translation to ensure efficient phage propagation.