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Fig. 6 | BMC Biology

Fig. 6

From: A widespread family of polymorphic toxins encoded by temperate phages

Fig. 6

Proposed model for the role of phage-delivered MuF toxins exhibiting a low (a) or high (b) toxic effect in host bacteria. a MuF toxin with a low toxic effect such as proteases or ADP-ribosyl transferases could influence the lysis-lysogeny decision of the phage with the aim of making the optimal decision at the time of infection. b MuF toxin with a high toxic effect could be involved in inter-bacterial competition. When population A of lysogens is mixed with population B of non-lysogens, phages carrying a MuF toxin could deliver their toxins to susceptible bacteria of population B. The delivery of a toxin with a highly toxic effect, such as a nuclease, into bacteria of population B leads to either a direct inhibition of their growth (dormancy) or killing by induction of the lytic cycle. In both cases, population A of lysogens will outcompete population B of non-lysogens. Thus, bacteria harboring a phage encoding a MuF toxin will have a competitive advantage

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