Bacteriophages in Unusual and Extreme Environments—Physiology, Genetics, and Potential Biotechnological Applications

Dear Colleagues,

The use of increasing amounts of antibiotics in industrial animal breeding, veterinary medicine, and medicine is leading to the development of drug-resistant forms of bacteria. The repertoire of available and, most importantly, effective antibiotics is becoming smaller. This means that there is a need to search for new, ecological antibacterial substances and therapies. Bacteriophages, specific viruses that multiply in bacterial cells, are undoubtably excellent candidates for therapy. They are the most abundant biological entities on Earth and occur in all environments: the air, fresh- and saltwater, soils, and even extreme environments such as deserts, hot springs, or glaciers. Detailed studies on virus–host systems in unusual habitats can provide a large amount of valuable information on the course and parameters of their life cycles, ecology, and evolution. The diversity and dynamics of phage development can be helpful in understanding the changes in many environments due to climate change. Additionally, metagenomic studies of extreme environments reveal the enormous genetic diversity of bacteriophages. Detailed analyses of these genomes can provide a basis for analyzing their evolution. The available literature data show that the vast majority of phage gene products in extreme environments are unique. This means that bacteriophages are present in these environments due to the presence of genes that encode proteins with unusual and rarely encountered properties. These enzymes can include DNA polymerases, depolymerases, or lysines, which are able to function at high or low temperatures, in high salt concentrations, in the presence of various ions, and in acidic or alkaline environments. These enzymes have great biotechnological potential.

This Special Issue will be devoted to the biology and biotechnology of bacteriophages in unusual and extreme environments. Original papers and review articles are equally welcome, provided that they are focused on bacteriophages that occur in these habitats.

Prof. Dr. Alicja Wegrzyn
Dr. Łukasz Grabowski
Guest Editors

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• biology of bacteriophages
• biodiversity of bacteriophages
• regulation of bacteriophage development