Cyanophages: Starving the Host to Recruit Resources

Curr Biol. 2016 Jun 20;26(12):R511-R513. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2016.04.030.

Abstract

Phytoplankton and the viruses that infect them are locked in an evolutionary arms race, the nature of which is presently being revealed. A new study shows that cyanophage-mediated inhibition of CO2 fixation enables the phages to recruit photosynthetically formed redox and ATP to fulfill their nucleotide and metabolic demand.

Publication types

  • Comment

MeSH terms

  • Bacteriophages*
  • Biological Evolution
  • Phytoplankton / virology*