Most bacteria are polylysogens that carry multiple prophages integrated into the chromosome. These prophages confer advantages to their bacterial host, yet also pose a lethal threat as they can reactivate and enter a lytic cycle. DNA damage of the bacterial host is a common trigger of prophage lytic cycles. Because DNA damage is frequently experienced by bacterial pathogens exposed to host immune defenses, prophage activation may be common during infection. Investigating the consequences of prophage induction in Salmonella, we discover a prophage competition element in the Gifsy-1 prophage that we name ribonuclease effector module with ATPase, inhibitor, and nuclease (RemAIN) because it blocks the lytic cycles and release of viral particles of co-resident prophages. Intramacrophage Salmonella persisters, a subpopulation that incurs DNA damage, experience prophage reactivation and subsequent RemAIN activation, which influences Salmonella persisters and macrophage response to infection. Our findings reveal a multi-layered host-pathogen arms race in which prophage-prophage competition influences bacterial persistence and the mammalian immune response.

中文翻译：

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原噬菌体竞争元件可保护沙门氏菌免于裂解


大多数细菌是多溶原，携带整合到染色体中的多个原噬菌体。这些原噬菌体赋予其细菌宿主优势，但也构成致命威胁，因为它们可以重新激活并进入裂解循环。细菌宿主的 DNA 损伤是原噬菌体裂解循环的常见触发因素。由于 DNA 损伤通常由暴露于宿主免疫防御的细菌病原体造成，因此原噬菌体激活在感染期间可能很常见。研究沙门氏菌中原噬菌体诱导的后果，我们在 Gifsy-1 原噬菌体中发现了一种原噬菌体竞争元件，我们将其命名为具有 ATP 酶、抑制剂和核酸酶 （RemAIN） 的核糖核酸酶效应模块，因为它阻断了共驻原噬菌体的裂解循环和病毒颗粒的释放。巨噬细胞内沙门氏菌持续存在者是导致 DNA 损伤的亚群，经历前噬菌体再激活和随后的 RemAIN 激活，这会影响沙门氏菌持续存在者和巨噬细胞对感染的反应。我们的研究结果揭示了多层次的宿主-病原体军备竞赛，其中原噬菌体-原噬菌体竞争影响细菌持久性和哺乳动物免疫反应。