Molecular Characterisation of the Processes Responsible for Toxigenic Conversion of E. Coli by VT-Bacteriophages

Verocytotoxin genes are carried and spread by a heterogeneous group of lambdoid bacteriophages, the VT- phages. It has been assumed that these phages will behave similarly to lambda phage, but we have evidence that both the infection processes and the immunity mechanisms are distinct and have important implications for pathogenicity. <P>
We will use our established VT-phage model to characterise the initial events following V-phage contact with a potential host cell - essentially the mechanisms that dictate binding to the bacterial host cell, phage immunity and integration into the host genome to produce a toxigenic lysogen. <P>We will exploit our bank of VT-phages from different clinical, animal and environmental sources to identify and compare the diversity of mechanisms controlling these events in E. coli populations.