Publications by authors named "R Plaut"
To better understand host-phage interactions and the genetic bases of phage resistance in a model system relevant to potential phage therapy, we isolated several spontaneous mutants of the USA300 clinical isolate NRS384 that were resistant to phage K. Six of these had a single missense mutation in the host gene, which encodes the RNA polymerase β' subunit. To examine the hypothesis that mutations in the host RNA polymerase affect the transcription of phage genes, we performed RNA-seq analysis on total RNA samples collected from NRS384 wild-type (WT) and mutant cultures infected with phage K, at different timepoints after infection.
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- * Researchers identified bacterial receptors for phages AP50c and γ, as well as receptor binding proteins (RBPs) associated with these phages, showing variability in the evidence for their interactions.
- * Genetic evidence demonstrated that deletions of certain genes affected RBP binding, which could be restored by gene expression, and that RBP binding to cells was stable even after heat treatment, suggesting diverse phage attachment strategies.
Mutants of the attenuated Bacillus anthracis (Sterne) strain 7702 that are resistant to phage AP50c have been previously described. Here, we report the draft genome assemblies of the parent strain, several phage-resistant derivatives, and mutants of genes in the pathways for synthesis and assembly of the S-layer.
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- * Researchers isolated 65 mutants of phage K that had better growth characteristics at 37 °C due to loss-of-function mutations in a gene coding for a poorly understood protein, suggesting its critical role in the phage's effectiveness against bacteria.
- * The study demonstrated that these mutations led to improved bacterial suppression in test models, indicating that understanding and manipulating this gene could enhance phage therapy against resistant strains like USA300 MRSA.
C-C motif chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2) is an important mediator of myeloid cell chemotaxis during inflammation and infection. Myeloid cells such as monocytes, macrophages, and neutrophils contribute to host defense during orthopedic implant-associated infections (OIAI), but whether CCR2-mediated chemotaxis is involved remains unclear. Therefore, a Staphylococcus aureus OIAI model was performed by surgically placing an orthopedic-grade titanium implant and inoculating a bioluminescent S.
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