Human-Gut Phages Harbor Sporulation Genes

Spore-forming bacteria are prevalent in mammalian guts and have implications for host health and nutrition. The production of dormant spores is thought to play an important role in the colonization, persistence, and transmission of these bacteria. Spore formation also modifies interactions among microorganisms such as infection by phages. Recent studies suggest that phages may counter dormancy-mediated defense through the expression of phage-carried sporulation genes during infection, which can alter the transitions between active and inactive states. By mining genomes and gut-derived metagenomes, we identified sporulation genes that are preferentially carried by phages that infect spore-forming bacteria. These included genes involved in chromosome partitioning, DNA damage repair, and cell wall-associated functions. In addition, phages contained homologs of sporulation-specific transcription factors, notably spo0A, the master regulator of sporulation, which could allow phages to control the complex genetic network responsible for spore development. Our findings suggest that phages could influence the formation of bacterial spores with implications for the health of the human gut microbiome, as well as bacterial communities in other environments.