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ADA Forsyth scientists discover new phage res - EurekAlert
<p>In a recent study, ADA Forsyth scientists describe a new mechanism impacting the phage-bacterial arms race, a nanosized epibiotic parasite, TM7x, which helps its host bacterium (a <em>Schaalia odontolytica</em> strain called XH001) achieve resistance to lytic phages. TM7x causes a physiological change to the host bacteria. When TM7x is present, it causes modulation of the bacteria’s surface structures, which prevents the phages from attaching. TM7x ultimately helps the phage and bacteria to coexist by creating a sink-source dynamic: the bacteria without TM7x can continue to be available to the phage, while the bacteria with the parasite resist phages. These bacteria can continue to reproduce a supply for phage consumption while protecting themselves from the lytic phage by forming symbiotic relationship with TM7x.</p>
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