Date of Award
Fall 2025
Document Type
Open Access Dissertation
Department
Biological Sciences
First Advisor
Bert Ely
Abstract
Microbial interactions within the rhizosphere play a crucial role in shaping bacterial community diversity and function. To explore these dynamics, we isolated 21 bacterial strains from soil and plant root samples collected near Rocky Branch Creek on the University of South Carolina campus. Our findings revealed that a significant proportion of these bacteria are lysogenic for CbK-like phages belonging to the Dolichocephalovirinae subfamily. Additionally, we isolated free bacteriophages directly from the same soil samples and found them to be closely related to those harbored within lysogenic bacteria. Surprisingly, despite predictions of a narrow host range, most of these phages, both from lysogenic bacteria and the surrounding environment, exhibited broad host infectivity. Genome analysis confirmed that these phages persist as episomal pseudolysogens within the cytoplasm of 20 out of 21 bacterial isolates. These findings suggest that soil bacterial communities are embedded within a highly interconnected phage network, shaping microbial diversity and interactions. This study advances our understanding of phage-host dynamics in soil ecosystems and underscores their potential role in maintaining ecological balance and informing microbial management strategies to enhance plant health.
Rights
© 2025, Tannaz Mohammadi
Recommended Citation
Mohammadi, T.(2025). Exploring the Diversity and Biology of Unique Giant Broad Host Range Bacteriophages in Natural Environments. (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/etd/8593