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Gene transfer agents (GTAs) are domesticated prophages that have been co-opted by their bacterial hosts as conduits for horizontal gene transfer. For gene transfer to occur, DNA-packed GTA particles must lyse their host bacterial cell to escape. The mechanism by which host lysis occurs is not well understood. In my talk, I will tell you about a genetic screen that I performed to discover potential novel lysis genes. We
discovered a new genetic system that is essential for GTA-mediated host lysis. Most interestingly, the system shares some similarity to an anti-phage defence module. I will talk about how this system functions and how it is regulated to ensure that cell lysis is tightly controlled. Overall, our work suggests that prokaryotic immune systems can be repurposed to facilitate horizontal gene transfer.
