{
  "abstract": "Prophages are increasingly recognized as drivers of bacterial adaptation, yet how domesticated prophage genes shape microbial symbiosis remains poorly understood. Here, we identify GDPDXhp1, a glycerophosphodiester phosphodiesterase encoded by prophage Xhp1 of Schaalia odontolytica XH001, as a metabolic regulator linking bacterial physiology, episymbiosis and phage fitness. Association with the epibiotic bacterium Nanosynbacter lyticus TM7x strongly induced gdpdXhp1 expression and triggered GDPDXhp1-dependent lipid droplet accumulation in XH001. GDPDXhp1 orchestrated glycerophospholipid remodeling, membrane biophysical properties, respiration and cell-surface glycan composition in XH001, thereby promoting TM7x episymbiosis. Remarkably, GDPDXhp1 was also required for productive Xhp1 infection by remodeling susceptible bacterial host envelope structures to facilitate phage-host interactions. Together, our findings reveal a domesticated prophage enzyme that contributes to bacterial metabolism, interspecies symbiosis and viral reproduction, highlighting prophage as an overlooked source of metabolic innovation in microbial symbiosis.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "ADA Forsyth Institute"
  ],
  "article_type": "New results",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 7,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "N. Nahar"
    },
    {
      "name": "A. Kumar"
    },
    {
      "name": "A. S. Grossman"
    },
    {
      "name": "J. McLean"
    },
    {
      "name": "B. Bor"
    },
    {
      "name": "P.-T. Dong"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "X. He"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bh2gfd5rawr4j.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.64898/2026.10.08.757619",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.08.757619v1.full",
  "id": "bh2gfd5rawr4j",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.08.757619v1",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "biorxiv",
      "microbiology"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2303|Bacteriophages and microbial interactions"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7221355827",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.08.757619v1.full.pdf",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-08",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bh2gfd5rawr4j.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:26:58Z",
      "native_id": "10.64898/2026.10.08.757619",
      "source": "biorxiv",
      "url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.08.757619v1"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "biorxiv:microbiology",
      "subfield": "microbiology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "A domesticated prophage enzyme links bacterial metabolism, episymbiosis and phage fitness",
  "title_text": "A domesticated prophage enzyme links bacterial metabolism, episymbiosis and phage fitness",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:26:58Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bh2gfd5rawr4j",
  "venue": "bioRxiv",
  "versions": []
}