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Bacterial physiology

Bacteria can shed a layer when phages turn up the heat

Phage-encoded endolysins released from neighbouring infected bacterial cells can confer a temporary resistance to phage infection by mediating the reversible loss of the cell wall.

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Fig. 1: Dynamics of endolysin-mediated L-form switching under selective phage pressure.

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Correspondence to Thomas G. Denes.

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Denes, T.G. Bacteria can shed a layer when phages turn up the heat. Nat Microbiol 8, 367–368 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41564-023-01332-y

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