Allen

Arlette Baljon

Atuma

Barbara Bailey

Barkai

Ben Felts

Dutilh

Edlund

Forest Rohwer

Gregory Peters

Jeremy J. Barr

Jim Nulton

Mark Hatay

Merry Youle

Natasha Bonilla

Nicholas Sam-Soon

Peter Salamon

Rita Auro

Sam Kassegne

Sarah Mourtada

Tariq

Wiggins

SignificanceBacteriophages (phages) are viruses that infect and kill bacteria. Being inanimate, phages rely on diffusion to search for bacterial prey. Here we demonstrate that a phage that adheres weakly to mucus exhibits subdiffusive motion, not normal diffusion, in mucosal surfaces. Supporting theory and experiments revealed that subdiffusive motion increases bacterial encounter rates for phages when bacterial concentration is low. To the best of our knowledge, no other predator has been shown to effectively use a subdiffusive search mechanism. Mucosal surfaces are vulnerable to infection. Mucus-adherent phages reduce bacterial infection of lifelike mucosal surfaces more effectively than nonadherent phages. These findings provide a basis for engineering adherent phages to manipulate mucosal surface microbiomes for protection from infection and other purposes.</jats:p

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Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Subdiffusive motion of bacteriophage in mucosal surfaces increases the frequency of bacterial encounters

Subdiffusive motion of bacteriophage in mucosal surfaces increases the frequency of bacterial encounters

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