Prophages encode phage-defense systems with
cognate self-immunity
Siân V. Owen, Nicolas Wenner, Charles L. Dulberger, Ella V. Rodwell,
Arthur Bowers-Barnard, Natalia Quinones-Olvera, Daniel J. Rigden, Eric J.
Rubin, Ethan C. Garner, Michael Baym, Jay C.D. Hinton
Cell Host & Microbe
DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2021.09.002
Figure 1
The bstA gene of prophage BTP1 confers phage
defense
Cell Host & Microbe DOI: (10.1016/j.chom.2021.09.002)
Figure 1
The bstA gene of prophage BTP1 confers phage
defense
Cell Host & Microbe DOI: (10.1016/j.chom.2021.09.002)
BstA homologs are foundFigure
in 2diverse bacterial taxa and
are frequently associated with prophages
Cell Host & Microbe DOI: (10.1016/j.chom.2021.09.002)
Figure 3
BstA homologs from Salmonella, E. coli, and
K. pneumoniae confer phage defense
Cell Host & Microbe DOI: (10.1016/j.chom.2021.09.002)
Figure 4
BstA mediates population-level phage defense
through abortive infection
BstA protein does not protect individual cells from phage infection
Figure 4
BstA mediates population-level phage defense
through abortive infection
5
BstA systems include cognate Figure
self-immunity
elements, aba,
which are required for successful prophage induction
Figure 6
BstA protein does not affect phage lysogeny but
inhibits phage DNA replication in the absence of aba
Figure 6
BstA protein does not affect phage lysogeny but
inhibits phage DNA replication in the absence of aba
Summary
Figure 6
•BstA is an abortive infection protein found in prophages of Gram-negative
bacteria
•aba, a short DNA sequence within the bstA locus, acts as a self-immunity
element
•aba gives BstA-encoding prophages immunity to BstA-driven abortive infection
•Variant BstA proteins have distinct and cognate aba elements
•8/10