Statistically inferring the mechanisms of phage-host interactions

Bacteriophage and their hosts are locked in an age-old arms race. Successful bacteria are subject to predation, forcing the population to diversify, and phage are also quick to adapt tactics for infecting these potential hosts. Sampling of closely related bacterial strains that differ in phage infection profiles can further elucidate the mechanisms of infection. The Polz Lab maintains the Nahant Collection - 243 Vibrio strains challenged by 241 unique phage, all with sequenced genomes. This is the largest phylogenetically resolved host-range cross test available to date. Genetically mapping out the depths of this dataset requires carefully designed analysis techniques as well as further experimental exploration. First, we narrow in on a specific phage in the Nahant Collection, 2.275.0, to characterize the pressures that may select for phage that shuttle their own translational machinery.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctoral

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Computational and Systems Biology Program

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2019

Author dc:creator

• Yang, Joy,Ph.D.(Joy Yu)Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Martin Polz.

• Computational and Systems Biology Program.

Statement dc:rights

• MIT theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed, downloaded, or printed from this source but further reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/123250

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/123250