An overview on Vibrio temperate phages: Integration mechanisms, pathogenicity, and lysogeny regulation

Abstract

Vibrio species are geographically spread in marine habitats. Their virulence is often associated with the acquisition of mobile genetic elements such as phages. These phages can lysogenize the host cell by stably integrating their genomes into the host genome as prophages using the host or phage-encoded recombinases. Prophage-encoded virulence genes are then transferred to the host cell, which increases the population-level diversity and enhances bacterial survival. Prophages can also switch to a lytic cycle in response to environmental factors or host-quorum sensing. However, despite the importance of prophages as carriers of virulence factors, there are no reviews on the diversity and the lysis regulation of prophages in vibrios. Hence, the aim of this review was to highlight the pathogenicity of Vibrio's temperate phages, study their integration mechanisms, and their lysogeny regulation.

Keywords: Lysis-lysogeny switch; Marine environment; Quorum sensing; Temperate phages; Vibrio; Virulence.