Chapter authored by Mya Breitbart, Forest Rohwer, and Stephen T. Abedon published in 2005.
Breitbart, M., F. Rohwer, and S. T. Abedon. 2005. Phage ecology and bacterial pathogenesis, p. 66-91. In: M. K. Waldor, D. I. Friedman, and S. L. Adhya (eds.), Phages: Their Role in Bacterial Pathogenesis and Biotechnology. ASM Press, Washington DC. [Google Books]
This is the first paragraph: "Bacteriophages (phages) are the viruses of bacteria. The impact of phages on bacterial pathogenesis may be divided into two major themes, transduction and predation. (i) Phages can move genes, including genes encoding bacterial virulence factors (VFs), between bacteria. This movement can occur via generalized or specialized transduction. (ii) Phages can also virulently attack bacteria. This predation can modify the structure of bacterial communities, selecting for bacteria that are resistant to phage infection. Depending on the nature of a phage infection—e.g., lytic versus lysogenic infection or infection of a bacterial pathogen versus infection of a competitor in the normal flora—phages may either negatively or positively affect bacterial pathogenicity. An understanding of the phage impact on bacterial pathogenesis consequently requires not just knowledge of VF expression but also an understanding of phage transduction and propagation in the environment. In this chapter, we take a phage-centered view of the ecology of the phage-bacterium relationship, looking in particular for unappreciated subtleties that might impact pathogen formation, disease progression, or the phage-induced destruction of bacterial populations."
Contact web master. Return to terms.
