Speaker: Prof. Ombelien Rossier (Université Paris Saclay)

Organizers: Unit 11

Format: in English

Location: Online via WebEx Webinar

Bacteriophages, the abundant viruses that prey on bacteria, are regaining attention for their roles in phage therapy, biocontrol, and as powerful tools to study bacterial systems. Long overshadowed by its T-series “relatives” T4 and T7, phage T5 is revealing itself as a powerful model for understanding early events in viral infection and exploring innovative biotechnological applications. With a unique two-step DNA injection process, T5 provides a rare opportunity to dissect the molecular choreography of host takeover. This seminar will delve into what we’ve learned from this “vintage” phage, from the mechanisms it uses to destroy the bacterial chromosome, to the ways its structural components can be repurposed in modern biotechnology. I will present recent insights into how phage T5 orchestrates host subversion at the molecular level, and discuss emerging applications of its capsid-like particles in vaccine design.