In order to successfully infect and replicate within their bacterial hosts, bacteriophages (phages) utilise complex intracellular replication and maturation pathways. Studies of the replication pathways of archetypical phages, such as T4 and T7, have furthered our understanding of fundamental biological processes and have yielded a number of breakthroughs that are essential for modern molecular biology. However, the process involved in phage infection are less understood for non-archetypal phages. In particular, little is known of the processes used by phages targeting bacteria from the clinically relevant Klebsiella genus, which includes diverse species present in nosocomial and environmental niches.
This project will aim to investigate the intracellular processes that occur during phage infection of Klebsiella spp. prior to phage burst. The initial aim will be to characterise the changes in both host and phage gene expression that occur prior to cell lysis. Based on the results of this analysis, protein modelling and ectopic expression of phage genes in host cells will be used to provide functional insight into previously uncharacterised proteins. The final stage of the project will focus on understanding the host response to phage infection. This project will provide new insights into novel phage replication processes while also potentially improving our understanding of essential biological processes in Klebsiella.