Insights into the structure and initial host attachment of the flagellotropic bacteriophage 7-7-1

Understanding the structural and functional mechanisms of bacteriophage 7-7-1, the flagellotropic phage infecting Agrobacterium sp. H13-3, offers promising insights into phage-host interactions. Using single particle analysis (SPA) cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), we determined the capsid, neck region, tail, and baseplate complex structures. Combined with cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) and machine learning methodologies, our findings indicate that phage 7-7-1 uses capsid fibers to establish initial contact with the host flagellum, followed by subsequent attachment to cell surface receptors. The study also demonstrated that capsid fibers are flexible and can interact with other phages and host flagella, suggesting a cooperative infection strategy. These results provide crucial structural insights and may open avenues for developing phage-based therapeutics against resistant bacterial pathogens.

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Publication Details

Journal
Communications Biology
Published
2025-12-06
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-09319-7
Citations
1
Primary Topic
Bacteriophages and microbial interactions
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
1.72

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article

Insights into the structure and initial host attachment of the flagellotropic bacteriophage 7-7-1

Nathaniel C. Esteves, Birgit E. Scharf, Ariane Briegel, Daniël M. Pelt et al.
1 citations
Communications Biology
Bacteriophages and microbial interactions
1.72
article

Insights into the structure and initial host attachment of the flagellotropic bacteriophage 7-7-1

Nathaniel C. Esteves, Birgit E. Scharf, Ariane Briegel, Daniël M. Pelt, Ruochen Ouyang, Willem E. M. Noteborn, Adam Sidi Mabrouk, T. Hoeksma
article en
1 citations

Abstract

Understanding the structural and functional mechanisms of bacteriophage 7-7-1, the flagellotropic phage infecting Agrobacterium sp. H13-3, offers promising insights into phage-host interactions. Using single particle analysis (SPA) cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), we determined the capsid, neck region, tail, and baseplate complex structures. Combined with cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) and machine learning methodologies, our findings indicate that phage 7-7-1 uses capsid fibers to establish initial contact with the host flagellum, followed by subsequent attachment to cell surface receptors. The study also demonstrated that capsid fibers are flexible and can interact with other phages and host flagella, suggesting a cooperative infection strategy. These results provide crucial structural insights and may open avenues for developing phage-based therapeutics against resistant bacterial pathogens.

Communications BiologyVol. 9(1)
Leiden University (NL), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR), Institut Pasteur (FR), University of Applied Sciences Leiden (NL), Virginia Tech (US), Xi'an Jiaotong University (CN)
National Science Foundation, Netherlands Centre for Electron Nanoscopy, Universiteit Leiden, Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, China Scholarship Council
Openalex Percentile: Top 12%
Bacteriophages and microbial interactions
1.72
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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