Bacteriophage T12

Bacteriophage T12
Virus classification Edit this classification
(unranked): Virus
Realm: Duplodnaviria
Kingdom: Heunggongvirae
Phylum: Uroviricota
Class: Caudoviricetes
Order: Caudovirales
Family: Siphoviridae
Virus:
Bacteriophage T12

Bacteriophage T12 is a bacteriophage that infects Streptococcus pyogenes bacteria. It is a proposed species of the family Siphoviridae in the order Caudovirales also known as tailed viruses.[1] It converts a harmless strain of bacteria into a virulent strain. It carries the speA gene which codes for erythrogenic toxin A.[2] speA is also known as streptococcal pyogenic exotoxin A, scarlet fever toxin A, or even scarlatinal toxin.[3][4] Note that the name of the gene "speA" is italicized; the name of the toxin "speA" is not italicized. Erythrogenic toxin A converts a harmless, non-virulent strain of Streptococcus pyogenes to a virulent strain through lysogeny, a life cycle which is characterized by the ability of the genome to become a part of the host cell and be stably maintained there for generations.[5] Phages with a lysogenic life cycle are also called temperate phages.[2] Bacteriophage T12, proposed member of family Siphoviridae including related speA-carrying bacteriophages, is also a prototypic phage for all the speA-carrying phages of Streptococcus pyogenes, meaning that its genome is the prototype for the genomes of all such phages of S. pyogenes.[6] It is the main suspect as the cause of scarlet fever, an infectious disease that affects small children.[5]

  1. ^ NCBI: Bacteriophage T12 (species)
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference McShan-Serine tRNA was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Stevens and Tanner:exotoxin A and Toxic shock syndrome was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference Wagner-Phage Control was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Johnson-Phage Involvement was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference McShan&Ferretti - Genetic Diversity was invoked but never defined (see the help page).