Structure and Assembly of TP901-1 Virion Unveiled by Mutagenesis

PLoS One. 2015 Jul 6;10(7):e0131676. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0131676. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

Bacteriophages of the Siphoviridae family represent the most abundant viral morphology in the biosphere, yet many molecular aspects of their virion structure, assembly and associated functions remain to be unveiled. In this study, we present a comprehensive mutational and molecular analysis of the temperate Lactococcus lactis-infecting phage TP901-1. Fourteen mutations located within the structural module of TP901-1 were created; twelve mutations were designed to prevent full length translation of putative proteins by non-sense mutations, while two additional mutations caused aberrant protein production. Electron microscopy and Western blot analysis of mutant virion preparations, as well as in vitro assembly of phage mutant combinations, revealed the essential nature of many of the corresponding gene products and provided information on their biological function(s). Based on the information obtained, we propose a functional and assembly model of the TP901-1 Siphoviridae virion.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bacteriophages / genetics
  • DNA, Viral / genetics
  • Lactococcus lactis / virology
  • Microscopy, Electron / methods
  • Mutagenesis / genetics*
  • Mutation / genetics*
  • Siphoviridae / genetics
  • Viral Structural Proteins / genetics
  • Virion / genetics*

Substances

  • DNA, Viral
  • Viral Structural Proteins

Grants and funding

Work in the team of DVS was funded by Science Foundation Ireland (SFI; http://www.sfi.ie/) Principal Investigatorship award (Ref. No. 08/IN.1/B1909). Work in the team of CC was funded by a French National Research Agency (ANR; http://www.agence-nationale-recherche.fr/) grant (ANR-11-BSV8-004-01 Lacto-Phages). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.