Phage satellites and their emerging applications in biotechnology

Research output: Contribution to journalReviewpeer-review

The arms race between (bacterio)phages and their hosts are recognised hotspots for genome evolution. Indeed, phages and their components have historically paved the way for many molecular biology techniques and biotech applications. Further exploration into their complex lifestyles has revealed that phages are often parasitised by distinct types of hyperparasitic mobile genetic elements. These so-called phage satellites exploit phages to ensure their own propagation and horizontal transfer into new bacterial hosts, and their prevalence and peculiar lifestyle has caught the attention of many researchers. Here, we review the parasite-host dynamics of the known phage satellites, their genomic organisation, and their hijacking mechanisms. Finally, we discuss how these elements can be repurposed for diverse biotech applications, kindling a new catalogue of exciting tools for microbiology and synthetic biology.

Original languageEnglish
Article numberfuab031
JournalFEMS Microbiology Reviews
Volume45
Issue number6
Number of pages20
ISSN0168-6445
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2021

Bibliographical note

© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of FEMS.

ID: 282942063