Modeling the Fitness Consequences of a Cyanophage-Encoded Photosynthesis Gene
Background: Phages infecting marine picocyanobacteria often carry a psbA gene, which encodes a homolog to the photosynthetic reaction center protein, D1. Host encoded D1 decays during phage infection in the light. Phage encoded D1 may help to maintain photosynthesis during the lytic cycle, which in...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | en_US |
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Public Library of Science
2010
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/55289 |
| _version_ | 1826207118195163136 |
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| author | Chisholm, Sallie (Penny) Bragg, Jason G. |
| author2 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Biological Engineering |
| author_facet | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Biological Engineering Chisholm, Sallie (Penny) Bragg, Jason G. |
| author_sort | Chisholm, Sallie (Penny) |
| collection | MIT |
| description | Background: Phages infecting marine picocyanobacteria often carry a psbA gene, which encodes a homolog to the photosynthetic reaction center protein, D1. Host encoded D1 decays during phage infection in the light. Phage encoded D1 may help to maintain photosynthesis during the lytic cycle, which in turn could bolster the production of deoxynucleoside triphosphates (dNTPs) for phage genome replication.
Methodology / Principal Findings: To explore the consequences to a phage of encoding and expressing psbA, we derive a simple model of infection for a cyanophage/host pair — cyanophage P-SSP7 and Prochlorococcus MED4— for which pertinent laboratory data are available. We first use the model to describe phage genome replication and the kinetics of psbA expression by host and phage. We then examine the contribution of phage psbA expression to phage genome replication under constant low irradiance (25 µE m[superscript −2] s[superscript −1]). We predict that while phage psbA expression could lead to an increase in the number of phage genomes produced during a lytic cycle of between 2.5 and 4.5% (depending on parameter values), this advantage can be nearly negated by the cost of psbA in elongating the phage genome. Under higher irradiance conditions that promote D1 degradation, however, phage psbA confers a greater advantage to phage genome replication.
Conclusions / Significance: These analyses illustrate how psbA may benefit phage in the dynamic ocean surface mixed layer. |
| first_indexed | 2024-09-23T13:44:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | mit-1721.1/55289 |
| institution | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| language | en_US |
| last_indexed | 2024-09-23T13:44:45Z |
| publishDate | 2010 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | mit-1721.1/552892022-10-01T16:51:19Z Modeling the Fitness Consequences of a Cyanophage-Encoded Photosynthesis Gene Chisholm, Sallie (Penny) Bragg, Jason G. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Biological Engineering Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Chisholm, Sallie (Penny) Chisholm, Sallie (Penny) Bragg, Jason G. Background: Phages infecting marine picocyanobacteria often carry a psbA gene, which encodes a homolog to the photosynthetic reaction center protein, D1. Host encoded D1 decays during phage infection in the light. Phage encoded D1 may help to maintain photosynthesis during the lytic cycle, which in turn could bolster the production of deoxynucleoside triphosphates (dNTPs) for phage genome replication. Methodology / Principal Findings: To explore the consequences to a phage of encoding and expressing psbA, we derive a simple model of infection for a cyanophage/host pair — cyanophage P-SSP7 and Prochlorococcus MED4— for which pertinent laboratory data are available. We first use the model to describe phage genome replication and the kinetics of psbA expression by host and phage. We then examine the contribution of phage psbA expression to phage genome replication under constant low irradiance (25 µE m[superscript −2] s[superscript −1]). We predict that while phage psbA expression could lead to an increase in the number of phage genomes produced during a lytic cycle of between 2.5 and 4.5% (depending on parameter values), this advantage can be nearly negated by the cost of psbA in elongating the phage genome. Under higher irradiance conditions that promote D1 degradation, however, phage psbA confers a greater advantage to phage genome replication. Conclusions / Significance: These analyses illustrate how psbA may benefit phage in the dynamic ocean surface mixed layer. United States. Dept. of Energy. Genomic Science Program Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation Marine Microbiology Initiative National Science Foundation 2010-05-26T16:17:41Z 2010-05-26T16:17:41Z 2008-10 2008-10 Article http://purl.org/eprint/type/JournalArticle 1932-6203 http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/55289 Bragg JG, Chisholm SW (2008) Modeling the Fitness Consequences of a Cyanophage-Encoded Photosynthesis Gene. PLoS ONE 3(10): e3550. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0003550 en_US http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0003550 PLoS ONE Article is made available in accordance with the publisher's policy and may be subject to US copyright law. Please refer to the publisher's site for terms of use. application/pdf Public Library of Science PLoS |
| spellingShingle | Chisholm, Sallie (Penny) Bragg, Jason G. Modeling the Fitness Consequences of a Cyanophage-Encoded Photosynthesis Gene |
| title | Modeling the Fitness Consequences of a Cyanophage-Encoded Photosynthesis Gene |
| title_full | Modeling the Fitness Consequences of a Cyanophage-Encoded Photosynthesis Gene |
| title_fullStr | Modeling the Fitness Consequences of a Cyanophage-Encoded Photosynthesis Gene |
| title_full_unstemmed | Modeling the Fitness Consequences of a Cyanophage-Encoded Photosynthesis Gene |
| title_short | Modeling the Fitness Consequences of a Cyanophage-Encoded Photosynthesis Gene |
| title_sort | modeling the fitness consequences of a cyanophage encoded photosynthesis gene |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/55289 |
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