Data from: Prophage as a genetic reservoir: Promoting diversity and driving innovation in the host community

Sequencing of bacterial genomes has revealed an abundance of prophage sequences in many bacterial species. Since these sequences are accessible, through recombination, to infecting phages, bacteria carry an arsenal of genetic material that can be used by these viruses. We develop a mathematical model to isolate the effects of this phenomenon on the coevolution of temperate phage and bacteria. The model predicts that prophage sequences may play a key role in maintaining the phage population in situations that would otherwise favour host cell resistance. In addition, prophage recombination facilitates the existence of multiple phage types, thus promoting diverse co-existence in the phage-host ecosystem. Finally, because the host carries an archive of previous phage strategies, prophage recombination can drive waves of innovation in the host cell population.

细菌基因组测序研究显示，诸多细菌物种中广泛存在大量原噬菌体（prophage）序列。由于这些序列可通过重组被感染性噬菌体利用，细菌自身便携带了可供这些病毒取用的遗传物质库。本研究构建了一套数学模型，以厘清该现象对温和噬菌体（temperate phage）与细菌共演化过程的影响。该模型预测，在原本会促使宿主细胞产生抗性的情境下，原噬菌体序列或许在维持噬菌体种群规模方面发挥着关键作用。此外，原噬菌体重组有助于多种噬菌体类型的存续，进而推动噬菌体-宿主生态系统内的多样化共存。最后，由于宿主携带着过往噬菌体侵染策略的档案库，原噬菌体重组可推动宿主细胞种群产生多轮创新演化。