Global transcriptomic profiling uncovers conserved and phage-specific host responses to viral infection in Escherichia coli

To better understand the complex bacterial responses to lytic phage infection, we conducted a transcriptomic analysis to profile global gene expression in E. coli following exposure to phages. Specifically, E. coli strain ATCC 700078 was challenged with two lytic phages, phiX174 (ATCC 13706-B1) and T4 (ATCC 11303-B4), as well as the temperate phage lambda (ATCC 23724-B2), to compare the transcriptional responses induced by different phage types.