20.500.12556/RUL-169289 Distinct effects of mucin on phage-host interactions in model systems of beneficial and pathogenic bacteria Phage-host interactions that occur in host-associated microbiomes are influenced by a plethora of environmental factors. Mucins are glycoproteins that represent the main component of mucus, which is found in the animal digestive tract and on the surface of certain organs, serving as the first line of defense against toxins and pathogens. Previous studies have shown that lytic phages have an important influence on the microbial composition in mucosal areas. Our study expands this knowledge to interactions between previously untested lytic phages targeting probiotic and pathogenic bacteria, as well as temperate phages targeting probiotic bacteria. These interactions could be important in shaping microbial communities and affecting the well-being of their host. This study demonstrates that mucins enhance the adherence of Vibrio anguillarum lytic phages and Bacillus subtilis lytic and temperate phages, as well as B. subtilis and V. anguillarum cells, to solid surfaces. Our results also show that mucins positively affect the attachment of B. subtilis cells even in the presence of phages. This positive effect was not observed in the case of V. anguillarum. This suggests that mucin may shield certain bacteria from phage infections. We also found that mucin influenced the metabolic activity of the two tested bacterial species differently, with strong positive effects on V. anguillarum but not on B. subtilis. This work supports previous findings that phages adhere efficiently to mucus and extends these studies to include other beneficial and pathogenic bacterial species. It also reveals that mucins have different effects on phage-host interactions in different phage-host systems, which may have implications for phage therapies or probiotic treatment strategies. bacteriophages interactions mucins Bacillus subtilis bakteriofagi interakcije mucini Bacillus subtilis true false true Angleški jezik Slovenski jezik Članek v reviji 2025-05-22 09:56:47 2025-05-22 09:56:55 2025-05-23 04:12:26 0000-00-00 00:00:00 2025 0 0 13 str. iss. 6, art. 133 Vol. 170 2025 0000-00-00 Zaloznikova Objavljeno NiDoloceno 0000-00-00 0000-00-00 0000-00-00 579.2 0304-8608 10.1007/s00705-025-06322-5 236612611 s00705-025-06322-5.pdf s00705-025-06322-5.pdf 1 8A1F8B92CE822B10DE5E89F492B8AB2B d766f774c6fdb7d595214ee6b0dca5de98268bed1680054c86129db9da6fb4f4 7058fa99-36e1-11f0-b232-0050569b8976 https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=210563 https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00705-025-06322-5 0 67d40abb-36e1-11f0-b232-0050569b8976 https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=210562 Biotehniška fakulteta 0 0 0