GROUP FRUNZKE / Project FR 2759/7-1
Inhibition of phage infection by secondary metabolites produced by actinobacterial species
Members of the actinobacterial genus Streptomyces are prolific producers of natural products with a wide range of biological activities. However, a potential role in defense against viral infection has only been recognized recently.
This project will address the impact of phage infection on the antibiotic profiles of Streptomyces strains and their potential role in chemical defense strategies. Furthermore, we will specifically investigate the antiviral ‘mode of action’ of aminoglycoside antibiotics on defense against various phages.
Overall, experiments planned in the proposed project will provide important insights into the chemical defense of Streptomyces against phage infection and have the potential to discover new concepts in antiviral defense at the multicellular level.
Figure 1: Scheme of the Streptomyces life cycle (A). Stereomicroscopic pictures of plaques on a S. coelicolor lawn originating from infection by different phages isolated by our group.
Principal Investigator(s)
Prof. Dr. Julia Frunzke
Forschungszentrum Jülich
Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-1: Biotechnology
E-Mail: j.frunzke@fz-juelich.de
Homepage: http://www.fz-juelich.de/ibg/ibg-1/EN/Research/SystemicMicrobiology/population/population_node.html
PhD student(s)
Larissa Kever (l.kever@fz-juelich.de)
Bente Rackow (b.rackow@fz-juelich.de)
Publications
- Hardy A, Sharma V, Kever L, and Frunzke J (2020) Genome Sequence and Characterization of Five Bacteriophages Infecting Streptomyces Coelicolor and Streptomyces Venezuelae: Alderaan, Coruscant, Dagobah, Endor1 and Endor2. Viruses, doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/v12101065.