Identification of receptor-binding protein and host receptor of non-lytic dsRNA phage phiNY

Abstract

The interactions between the lytic dsRNA phages and their host receptors have been clarified in previous studies. However, the interaction between the dsRNA phage phiNY (which has a non-lytic life cycle) and its host receptors during the dsRNA phage adsorption process was unknown. Here, we found that phiNY uses the orf11 protein as a receptor-binding protein (RBP). In addition, we found that this orf11 recognizes lipopolysaccharide from the host bacterium Microvirgula aerodenitrificans strain LH9 as a specific receptor. These results suggest that phiNY, like lytic dsRNA phages, uses an RBP to bind to a similar host receptor (i.e., lipopolysaccharide). Determining the interaction between the dsRNA phage phiNY and its host receptors will help to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the phiNY non-lytic life cycle and enhance our understanding of its infection mechanism.