UNTIL we decided to run an excision assay to check if the prophage was in the bacterial chromosome. Turns out deleting this gene, which we named Pf-lysogeny-maintenance (pflM) caused Pf4 to pop out! 🧵 3/7

As scientists do, we decided to use this tool to investigate the relationship Pf phages have with their hosts. Using pflM, we cured clinical isolates from all over the world of phage infection. 🧵 5/7

Normally when a prophage excises from the bacterial chromosome it produces viral progeny, but we saw no plaque formatting and NO amplification with qPCR….suggesting that targeting pflM effectively CURES the bacterial host of its prophage! Wild!!! 🧵 4/7