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Phages as ecosystem engineers of plant microbiomes.

PubMed · 2026-05-13

Viruses that infect bacteria (phages) play a surprisingly important role in shaping the communities of microbes living on and around plants, influencing whether those microbes help or harm the plant.

1

Phages regulate plant-associated bacterial communities through direct killing (lysis), not just passive coexistence

2

Phages can insert auxiliary genes into bacteria via lysogeny, potentially changing bacterial behavior and their relationship with the host plant

3

The phage-bacteria dynamic ultimately tips the balance between mutualistic (beneficial) and antagonistic (harmful) plant-bacteria interactions

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