Phage-mediated Transduction
Phage-mediated Transduction - Related Videos
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Phage Transduction: A Method to Transfer Ampicillin Resistance from Donor to Recipient E. coli
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2023
Source: Alexander S. Gold1, Tonya M. Colpitts1 1 Department of Microbiology, Boston University School of Medicine, National Emerging Infections Diseases Laboratories, Boston, MA Transduction is a form of genetic exchange between bacteria that utilizes bacteriophages, or phages, a class of virus that infects exclusively prokaryotic organisms. This form of DNA transfer, from one bacterium to another by way of a phage, was discovered in 1951 by Norton Zinder and Joshua Ledererg, who termed the...
03:36
Generating Gene Deletions in E. coli via Phage-Mediated Transfer of an Excisable Antibiotic Cassette
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2026
Source: Saragliadis, A., et al. Producing Gene Deletions in Escherichia coli by P1 Transduction with Excisable Antibiotic Resistance Cassettes. J. Vis. Exp. (2018)This video demonstrates the phage-mediated transfer of donor DNA carrying an excisable antibiotic resistance cassette into Escherichia coli. The integrated cassette replaces the target gene via homologous recombination, resulting in a stable gene deletion.
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Assessing Phage-Mediated Bacterial Growth Inhibition Using Optical Density Measurements
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2026
Source: Niu, Y. D., et al. Bacteriophage Effectiveness for Biocontrol of Foodborne Pathogens Evaluated via High-Throughput Settings. J. Vis. Exp. (2021)This video demonstrates a microplate-based assay to evaluate the lytic activity of phage cocktails against E.coli bacterial cultures. It highlights how changes in optical density reveal phage potency and the concentration needed for complete bacterial...
04:59
Retroviral-Mediated Transduction: A Method to Introduce Target Gene into Cancer Cells
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2023
This video describes the protocol for genetic validation by transferring target genes using retroviruses in chronic myeloid leukemia cell lines. The retroviruses act as a mediator to transfer genetic material into the leukemia cell through the process called transduction, which enables long term expression of target gene.This method can be applied to any target cells for genetic validation and therapeutic development.
04:30
Phage Purification from Borrelia burgdorferi
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2026
Source: Eggers, C. H. Phage-Mediated Genetic Manipulation of the Lyme Disease Spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi. J. Vis. Exp. (2022).This video demonstrates the isolation of borrelial phage particles from a Borrelia burgdorferi suspension using polyethylene glycol-mediated phase separation. The sample is centrifuged, treated with a salt solution, and a molecular crowding agent to precipitate phages. Chloroform extraction is done to remove debris and concentrate phage particles. The purified phage...
FAQs
Generalized transduction results when a phage accidentally packages bacterial DNA, so different host regions may be transferred. Specialized transduction is more restricted because the transferred material is associated with particular bacterial genes carried during a specific phage-related process. This distinction helps researchers interpret which genetic traits can move and how broadly a phage may influence bacterial variation.
The delivered bacterial DNA can follow more than one outcome. It may recombine with the recipient chromosome, producing a stable genetic change, or persist as an extrachromosomal element, meaning DNA maintained separately from the chromosome. These alternative fates affect whether the transferred trait becomes integrated into cellular inheritance or remains associated with a separate genetic element.
Accidental packaging changes a phage particle from a carrier of primarily phage-associated genetic material into a vehicle for bacterial DNA. Once that particle infects another bacterium, the packaged host sequence can be delivered to a new cellular background. This mechanism connects phage infection with gene exchange and explains how bacterial traits can move between cells.
By moving bacterial DNA between cells, the process expands the genetic variation available to bacterial populations. Recipient cells may acquire sequences that recombine with their chromosomes or persist separately, creating new genetic combinations. In infection settings, this horizontal gene transfer can support adaptation and help explain how bacterial populations change as they encounter different environmental or host pressures.
A study generally follows the transfer event from phage infection of a bacterial donor through accidental inclusion of host DNA, exposure of a recipient cell, and the fate of the delivered sequence. Researchers then interpret whether the material could recombine with the chromosome or persist extrachromosomally. This framework supports investigations of bacterial inheritance and gene movement.
The process provides a way to move bacterial genetic material into another cell, allowing researchers to examine how transferred sequences affect the recipient. Comparing recipient cells with and without the transferred material can support studies of gene function and bacterial genetics. The approach is especially useful when the goal is to connect a genetic element with a cellular trait.
Phage-mediated Transduction offers a mechanism for understanding how infection-related bacterial traits spread within populations. The transferred DNA may include genes associated with virulence factors or antibiotic resistance, linking phage activity to pathogen adaptation and treatment challenges. Studying these transfers helps place bacterial evolution in the broader context of host infection and changing microbial phenotypes.