A domesticated prophage enzyme links bacterial metabolism, episymbiosis and phage fitness
- 1ADA Forsyth Institute
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.
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BibTeX
@misc{nahar2026domesticated,
title = {{A domesticated prophage enzyme links bacterial metabolism, episymbiosis and phage fitness}},
author = {N. Nahar and A. Kumar and A. S. Grossman and J. McLean and B. Bor and P.-T. Dong and X. He},
howpublished = {bioRxiv},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.64898/2026.10.08.757619},
url = {https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.08.757619v1},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - A domesticated prophage enzyme links bacterial metabolism, episymbiosis and phage fitness
AU - N. Nahar
AU - A. Kumar
AU - A. S. Grossman
AU - J. McLean
AU - B. Bor
AU - P.-T. Dong
AU - X. He
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/08
PB - bioRxiv
DO - 10.64898/2026.10.08.757619
UR - https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.08.757619v1
AB - 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.
ER -