Evolution of transmission mode in a temperate virus of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and its effects on the host

Bacteria are known for the infections they produce; that they are themselves infected is not often considered. This thesis considers the latent, lysogenic phase of a temperate virus DMS3 of the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In Chapter 1, I review the existing literature on how lysogeny contributes to viral fitness. In Chapter 2, we attempt to test this with deep sequencing of semi-random insertion sites. In Chapter 3, we find that spontaneous induction in lysogens causes divergent evolutionary resolutions. In Chapter 4, we take this approach to whole populations to test the way that infected and uninfected P. aeruginosa evolves in the presence of an antibiotic which can induce the lysogen. We find substantial evidence that this temperate virus impacts the evolution of its pathogen host.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Microbiology

Grantor

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2025

Author dc:creator

• Suttenfield, Laura Catherine

Contributors dc:contributor

• Whitaker, Rachel J
• Slauch, James M
• Kuzminov, Andrei
• Vanderpool, Carin

• lysogen
• virus
• transposable phage
• DMS3
• Pseudomonas aeruginosa
• vertical transmission

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2025 Laura Suttenfield

Language dc:language

en, eng

Handle dc:identifier

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/129496

OAI record oai:identifier

https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/oai-pmh?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=etdms&identifier=oai%3Awww.ideals.illinois.edu%3A2142%2F129496