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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik

BP 23: Physics of Bacteria and Viruses

BP 23.5: Vortrag

Donnerstag, 26. März 2009, 18:15–18:30, ZEU 260

Internal Capsid-Pressure Dependence of Viral Infection by Phage λ — •Sarah Köster^1,2, Alex Evilevitch³, Meerim Jeembaeva³, and David Weitz² — ¹Courant Research Centre Physics, University of Göttingen, Germany — ²Department of Physics and School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, USA — ³Department of Biochemistry, Lund University, Sweden

Ejection of the genome from the virus, phage λ, is the initial step in the infection of its host bacterium. In vitro, the ejection depends sensitively on internal pressure within the virus capsid; however, the effect of internal pressure on infection of bacteria is unknown. Here, we use microfluidic devices to produce monodisperse aqueous emulsion droplets in a continuous oil phase. The drops serve as individual, picoliter-sized compartments for cells and viruses and enable us to study organisms on the single cell level while providing valuable statistical information. We monitor individual cells and determine the temporal distribution of lysis due to infection as the capsid pressure is varied. The lysis probability decreases markedly with decreased capsid pressure. Interestingly, the average lysis times remain the same, but the distribution is broadened, as the pressure is lowered.