Article ID Journal Published Year Pages File Type
3425499 Virology 2008 6 Pages PDF
Abstract

Studying the replication of the chlamydiaphages presents significant challenges. Their host bacteria, chlamydiae, have a unique obligate intracellular developmental cycle. Using qPCR, immunochemistry, and electron microscopy, the life cycle of chlamydiaphage Chp2 was characterised. Chp2 infection has a dramatic inhibitory effect on bacterial cell division. The RB to EB transition is arrested and RBs enlarge without further division. There is a phase of rapid Chp2 genome replication 36 to 48 h post infection that is coincident with the expression of viral proteins and the replication of the host chromosome. The end stage of Chp2 replication is characterised by the appearance of paracrystalline structures followed by bacterial cell lysis. These data indicate that the Chp2 life cycle is closely coordinated with the developmental cycle of its bacterial host. This is a remarkable adaptation by a microvirus to infect and replicate in a bacterial host that has an obligate intracellular developmental cycle.

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Life Sciences Immunology and Microbiology Virology
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