SPP 2330:  New concepts in prokaryotic virus-host interactions - from single cells to microbial communities

• Subject Area: Medicine ; Biology ; Chemistry ; Computer Science, Systems and Electrical Engineering ; Thermal Engineering/Process Engineering
• Term: since 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 441953848

Within the Priority Program SPP 2330, a consortium of about 25 groups together with associated members addresses current questions in the field of virus-host interactions in prokaryotes. The scientific goals of this consortium focus on understanding new mechanisms in prokaryotic virus-host interactions at the molecular level and in the context of microbial communities. This includes the identification and mechanistic understanding of new antiviral defense systems and the understanding of their function in the context of the prokaryotic immune system. To achieve this goal, the consortium has already successfully bundled their expertise in the fields of molecular microbiology, bioinformatics, mathematical modeling, imaging techniques, structural biology and biochemistry in the first funding period, thus forming an internationally unique consortium spearheading research in the emerging field of phage biology. The topic is currently particularly relevant as the potential of bacteriophages for the treatment of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and their application in agriculture and food safety is attracting increasing attention. However, a fundamental understanding of the interaction of phages with their host and the underlying mechanisms of their coexistence in microbial communities is of paramount importance for the development of efficient applications. The success of a priority program depends crucially on the creation of suitable framework conditions. Therefore, we are applying for funding for the organization of annual meetings and an international conference (in the third year), the organization of workshops and lectures, the exchange of PhD students, start-up funding for postdocs, gender equality measures and the development of a public relations module. The coordination resources are managed by the coordinator and the scientific committee, who are all supported by the coordination assistant of the priority program.

• DFG Programme: Priority Programmes
• International Connection: Belgium, Denmark, Israel, Netherlands, Portugal, Switzerland

Projects

• A dead end trap? - Functions of bacteriophages bound to outer membrane vesicles in host infection and defence (Applicants Barbirz, Stefanie ;  Bröker, Nina )
• A pseudogene affords quorum sensing-mediated phage defense in Vibrio cholerae (Applicant Papenfort, Kai )
• Bacterial gasdermin as a model system to study ancient immune mechanisms (Applicant Wein, Tanita )
• Characterization of phage-mediated horizontal gene transfer in the human nose (Applicant Gerlach, David )
• Coordination Funds (Applicant Frunzke, Julia )
• Dissecting the vast diversity of anti-retron mechanisms in phage genomes (Applicant Typas, Ph.D., Athanasios )
• “Dynamic and mechanisms of early life interactions between bacteriophage and its bacteria host in the skin” (Applicant Gomez de Agüero, Mercedes )
• Functional dissection of the Bacillus subtilis SPbeta prophage lysogeny-lysis decision system and characterization of a novel SPbeta defense system (Applicant Commichau, Fabian M. )
• Glycocode-guided bacteriophage-host interaction in the evolution of the genus Staphylococcus (Applicant Peschel, Andreas )
• Identity, infection strategy, and biogeochemical impact of nitrifier-infecting viruses (Applicant Pester, Michael )
• Impact of phage microdiversity on marine heterotrophic bacteria – a single cell perspective (Applicants Moraru, Ph.D., Cristina ;  Stryhanyuk, Ph.D., Hryhoriy )
• Integration of multicellular defense strategies in the context of the bacterial immune system (Applicant Frunzke, Julia )
• Interplay of the phages phi29 and SPP1 with the B. subtilis (p)ppGpp response (Applicant Bange, Gert )
• Interrogating DNA-centric bacterial defenses and phage counter-defenses (Applicant Beisel, Chase )
• It’s sweet to move on – bacteriophage infection and processing of glycan-based biofilms (Applicant Barbirz, Stefanie )
• Mechanisms of bacterial programmed cell death in phage defense: interplay of NAD+ depletion and the effector phospholipase PlaB (Applicant Flieger, Antje )
• Molecular cross-talk between Sa3int phages and their Stapylococcus aureus host (Applicant Wolz, Christiane )
• Molecular insight into viral infection of Methanoarchaea and their respective viruses (Applicant Schmitz-Streit, Ruth Anne )
• Molecular mechanisms of phage-antibiotic interactions and their interplay with phage defense systems (Applicant Gontao Brochado, Ph.D., Ana Rita )
• Molecular mechanisms of virus egress in haloarchaea (Applicant Quax, Tessa )
• Molecular sensing mechanisms of phage infection mediated through the Zorya anti-bacteriophage defense system (Applicants Erhardt, Marc ;  Popp, Philipp )
• Phage-host cross-talk in the human gut microbiome (Applicant Deng, Li )
• Photosynthesis genes in phage genomes-elucidation of their role in cyanobacteria-phage interaction (Applicant Frankenberg-Dinkel, Nicole )
• Regulation of host protein synthesis by jumbo phage proteins (Applicant Vogel, Jörg )
• Targeted RNAylation of Escherichia coli's Translational Machinery: A Hijacking Strategy Made by Bacteriophage T4 (Applicant Höfer, Katharina )
• The role of m6A-RNA modification to control phage replication (Applicants Brameyer, Sophie ;  Jung, Kirsten )
• The role of membrane vesicles for archaeal virus-host interactions (Applicant Erdmann, Susanne )
• The role of phage Thanatos ADP-ribosyl-transferases Alt1 and Alt2 in disarming and preparing the host (Applicant Thormann, Kai )
• Understanding the nature of anti-phage defense islands in microbes (Applicant Sorek, Ph.D., Rotem )
• Unravelling the intricate regulation of the expression program of T4-like cyanophages (Applicants Lindell, Ph.D., Debbie ;  Steglich, Claudia )
• Z-Project - Bacteriophage Repository, Services and Database (Applicant Wittmann, Johannes )

• Spokesperson: Professorin Dr. Julia Frunzke