Work

The Bacteriophage VMY 22 Has Enhanced the Stability of Its Functional Proteins via Adaptive Evolution in a Temperature-Varying Environment

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: 41-22 and its associated phage VMY22, originally isolated from the Mingyong Glacier, to investigate phage adaptability under varied temperature conditions. Through selective enrichment at 4 °C, 15 °C, 28 °C, and 32 °C, we observed clear differences in phage infectivity, as assessed by plaque assays, along with genomic mutations and protein structural changes. Notably, mutations predominantly occurred in functional genes (ATPase, endolysin), while the examined structural loci remained conserved. Homology modeling revealed distinct adaptations in protein tertiary structures corresponding to environmental temperatures, suggesting that phage evolution mainly affects post-adsorption processes. Our findings elucidate a novel mechanism of temperature-driven functional protein evolution among cold-adapted bacteriophages (phage) and providing insights into their potential applications in microbial ecology and biotechnology.

Source: Bioengineering

DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering13020233

Authors: Junjie Shang, Chengqian Dong, Qian Zhou, Jinmei Chai, Yunlin Wei

Institution: Kunming University of Science and Technology

Language: English

Topic: Bacteriophages and microbial interactions

Subfield: Ecology

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,258

Funder: National Natural Science Foundation of China