Variants of a putative baseplate wedge protein extend the host range of Pseudomonas phage K8
Li Sun,
Jiajia You,
Donghang Li,
Zhiqiang Zhang,
Xuying Qin,
Wenjing Pang,
Peize Li,
Qingzhu Han,
Yueying Li,
Zhiwei Huang,
Xixi Zhang,
Mengxin Gong,
Hongjiang Yang
Affiliations
Li Sun
Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology of the Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology
Jiajia You
Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology of the Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology
Donghang Li
Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology of the Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology
Zhiqiang Zhang
Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology of the Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology
Xuying Qin
Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology of the Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology
Wenjing Pang
Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology of the Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology
Peize Li
Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology of the Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology
Qingzhu Han
Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology of the Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology
Yueying Li
Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology of the Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology
Zhiwei Huang
Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology of the Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology
Xixi Zhang
Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology of the Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology
Mengxin Gong
Hongjiang Yang
Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology of the Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology
Abstract Background Narrow host range is a major limitation for phage applications, but phages can evolve expanded host range through adaptations in the receptor-binding proteins. Results Here, we report that Pseudomonas phage K8 can evolve broader host range and higher killing efficiency at the cost of virion stability. Phage K8 host range mutant K8-T239A carries a mutant version of the putative baseplate wedge protein GP075, termed GP075m. While phage K8 adsorbs to hosts via the O-specific antigen of bacterial LPS, phage K8-T239A uses GP075m to also bind the bacterial core oligosaccharide, enabling infection of bacterial strains resistant to K8 infection due to modified O-specific antigens. This mutation in GP075 also alters inter-protein interactions among phage proteins, and reduces the stability of phage particles to environmental stressors like heat, acidity, and alkalinity. We find that a variety of mutations in gp075 are widespread in K8 populations, and that the gp075-like genes are widely distributed among the domains of life. Conclusion Our data show that a typical life history tradeoff occurs between the stability and the host range in the evolution of phage K8. Reservoirs of viral gene variants may be widely present in phage communities, allowing phages to rapidly adapt to any emerging environmental stressors. Video Abstract