Digital Commons Network^™

Be Your Own Brain Advocate: Why Older People Should Request Routine Cognitive Testing, Josey M. Batura, Elizabeth B. Fauth

All Current Publications

Your primary care physician can conduct regular screenings and track cognitive changes; however, patients may need to advocate for and request testing. If there is noticeable loss in cognitive function, you may benefit from a more accurate diagnosis and a treatment plan or care plan from a medical specialist. Detecting cognitive changes early is better than knowing too late.

Clinical Applications Of Probiotics: A Comprehensive Review Of Benefits And Challenges, Riyam Wissam Hassan

Maaen Journal for Medical Sciences

Probiotics are beneficial microorganisms that help balance microbes in intestines and promote growth beneficial bacteria, they vary between bacteria, yeasts, and fungi and they are helpful to human health when taken in adequate and suitable amounts. In addition to maintaining intestinal health and help with digestion and absorption, also inhibiting development and preventing spread of harmful microorganisms. It exists in different forms, in the intestines and in the foods, products fermented, and in the pharmaceutical supplements. Because human health depends largely on the interaction between humans and these microorganisms known as probiotics, it has found that these organisms have vital …

Two New Species Of Uroplectes Peters, 1861 (Scorpiones, Buthidae) From Somaliland And Mozambique, František Kovařík

Euscorpius

Two new species, Uroplectes elmii sp. n. from Somaliland and U. mossambicensis sp. n. from Mozambique are described, fully illustrated with color photos showing their morphology. Both species are similar to Uroplectes fischeri (Karsch, 1879) from which they differ mainly in finger dentition (Uroplectes elmii sp. n.) and strongly reduced tibial spurs on legs III–IV (U. mossambicensis sp. n.). Uroplectes elmii sp. n. is also compared with U. pardii Kovařík, 2003, from which it differs mainly by extremely reduced to absent metasomal punctation. A distribution map of all …

Influence Of Variable Climate On Mechanical Properties Of Composite Materials: An Experimental Study, Alexandra Tazhibaeva, Safaa M.R.H. Hussein, Mikhail Kuznetsov, Farid Shakirzyanov, Nikita Kharin, Igor Muravyev, Timur Agliullin, Gulshat Saleeva, Victor Mitryakin, Oleg Morozov, Oskar Sachenkov

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

This study investigates the degradation of carbon fiber-reinforced plastic composites, fabricated via non-autoclave molding, under tropical climatic conditions across three regions over three years. Forty specimens (10 control, 30 exposed) with 2x2 twill weave and 0°/90° fiber orientation were subjected to tensile and compressive testing, microscopy, and X-ray computed tomography. Control specimens established baseline properties, while exposed specimens underwent three-year weathering. Statistical and principal component analyses revealed significant mechanical degradation, with tensile strength decreasing by up to 16.1% (p

Impact Of Plasma-Activated Water On Breast Cancer Cell Viability, Maryam G. Jasim, Hammad R. Humud

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Plasma-activated water (PAW) was generated using a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma system operating with a 1:1 mixture of nitrogen and argon gases to evaluate its cytotoxic effects on MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Water samples were divided into five groups: 0 minutes (control), 5, 10, 15, and 20 minutes of plasma exposure. The resulting PAW was applied to cultured cells, and cell viability was assessed 24- and 48-hour post-treatment. Viability was evaluated using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The results showed an apparent time-dependent increase in cytotoxicity. At 24 hours, cell mortality rates were 1.9%, 40.7%, 48.1%, 53.6%, …

Natural Pigment-Mediated Photodynamic Antimicrobial Technology : Mechanisms And Food Applications, Lei Zhao, Wenli Jiang, Qingshan Shen, Jingxuan Ke, Yanli Ma, Lifang Zhang

Journal of Food Science and Biotechnology

Photodynamic antimicrobial technology (PDT ),as a non-thermal physical bactericidal method,has received increasing attention due to its high efficiency,low residue,and lack of resistance induction.Natural pigments,as food-grade photosensitizers exhibit excellent optical responsiveness and biocompatibility.Studies have shown that curcumin,chlorophylls,and porphyrin-based pigments exhibit favorable photodynamic antimicrobial efficacy in various food matrices including fruits,vegetables,meat,and drinking water.The author summarizes the photodynamic antimicrobial mechanisms of representative natural pigments,and analyzes the effects of light parameters,photosensitizer concentrations,and food matrices on photodynamic antimicrobial efficacy.Furthermore,the recent progress of PDT applications in fruit and vegetable surface disinfection,drinking water sterilization,and smart packaging is reviewed,with a focus on the role of nanocarriers and composite …

Research Progress In Aflatoxin Degradation Technologies For Edible Oils, Huishuai Li, Zhenning Li, Yu Xie, Yunfeng Zou, Shaojun Li

Journal of Food Science and Biotechnology

Aflatoxin (AF),a notorious contaminant,has been a persistent challenge to the safety of edible oils.Prolonged exposure to low doses or acute consumption of high amounts of AF may induce serious health issues.Currently,no method can completely eliminate AF from edible oils.Therefore,it is crucial to explore strategies for reducing AF levels in edible oils.The measures to degrade AF from edible oils were reviewed,mainly including physical methods (such as high-temperature treatment,ray irradiation,and adsorption ),chemical methods (such as ammonia fumigation and ozone oxidation ),and biological methods (such as microbial degradation ).In addition,this paper analyzed and discussed the principles,advantages,shortcomings,and safety of various degradation methods.Furthermore,it made an …

Optimization Of Fermentation Conditions For The Removal Of Zearalenone From Corn Gluten Feed By Aspergillus Niger Fs10, Mengying Wu, Yang Yang, Jinyao Wang, Yongli Ye, Li’Na Sheng, Jian Ji, Xiulan Sun

Journal of Food Science and Biotechnology

[Objective ] This study aims to determine the optimal solid-state fermentation conditions for the removal of zearalenone (ZEN ) from corn gluten feed by Aspergillus niger (A.niger ) FS10.[Method ] With the removal rate of ZEN as the indicator,single-factor experiments and response surface method were employed to optimize the key fermentation parameters (inoculation volume-to-mass ratio,fermentation temperature,fermentation duration,and solid-to-liquid ratio ).Furthermore,changes in mass fractions of key nutritional components in corn gluten feed before and after solid-state fermentation under the optimal conditions were analyzed.[Result ] The optimal fermentation conditions were established as follows:an inoculation volume-to-mass ratio of 120 μL∶1 g,a fermentation temperature …

Fermentation Characteristics Of Biofilm-Forming Lactic Acid Bacteria In Sausages, Jie Shi, Yue Sun, Ruidian Zhang, Huifen He, Tenglong Miao, Qiuqin Zhang

Journal of Food Science and Biotechnology

[Objective ] To address the challenge of controlling harmful bacteria during the fermentation process of sausages,this study optimized the biofilm formation conditions of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (L.plantarum ) JB1 to enhance its competitive advantage in the low-temperature fermentation environment of sausages.Furthermore,this study systematically evaluated the regulatory role of the biofilm-forming L.plantarum JB1 in the quality and safety of sausages,aiming to provide process parameters and a theoretical basis for the development of high-stability probiotic formulations.[Method ] Single-factor and orthogonal experiments were conducted to quantify the effects of the interactions between temperature,pH,carbon source,nitrogen source,metal ions,and buffer salts on the biofilm-forming L.plantarum JB1.A sausage …

Effects Of Cutting Size And Steaming/Boiling Time On The Quality Of Colored Mashed Potatoes, Yuqing Che, Chi Chi, Yu Dong, Tiancang Na

Journal of Food Science and Biotechnology

[Objective ] This study explored the effects of steaming/boiling time and cutting size on the color,texture,starch structure,and anthocyanin mass fraction of red and purple potatoes before and after cooking,aiming to provide a theoretical basis for the processing of colored mashed potatoes.[Method ] Red and purple potatoes were taken as the research objects.They were cut into three different sizes (30 mm× 30 mm× 10 mm,20 mm× 20 mm× 10 mm,and 16 mm× 16 mm× 10 mm ) and steamed or boiled for five time periods (0,3,5,7,and 10 min ).The color parameters (including surface brightness L*,red-green value a*,and yellow-blue value b*),texture properties …

Application Potential Of Ellagic Acid In Functional Food, Lu Sun, Yan Dong, Qiming Miao, Jiayuan Wu, Shengquan Mi

Journal of Food Science and Biotechnology

Ellagic acid,a natural polyphenol,exists widely in plants and fruit tissue.It is mainly absorbed in the stomach and small intestine and produces multiple urolithins such as urolithin M 5 and urolithin M 6 under the metabolism of intestinal flora.With antioxidant,anti-inflammatory,anti-tumor,anti-aging,antimicrobial,blood glucose-lowering and other pharmacological effects,ellagic acid have important application and research value in the fields of functional food and medicine.The extraction methods,metabolism mechanisms,and pharmacological effects of ellagic acid and its application in functional food were reviewed.The difficulties in the application of ellagic acid in functional food were elucidated,and the future research focus was put forward.This review aims to provide a theoretical …

Selenium Biofortification Strategy Utilizing Liquid Culture Of Tremella Aurantialba Mycelia And Analysis Of Its Nutrient Composition, Ya’Na Zhang, Jing Zhang, Ruipeng Yu, Mengmeng Xu, Lei Chen, Zhenghua Gu, Guiyang Shi, Zhongyang Ding

Journal of Food Science and Biotechnology

[Objective ] This study aims to establish an efficient selenium biofortification strategy based on the liquid culture of Tremella aurantialba (T.aurantialba ) mycelia to enhance its selenium enrichment capacity.[Method ] The changes of growth phenotype,metabolic behavior,and selenium enrichment characteristics of T.aurantialba mycelia were analyzed during the Na 2SeO 3-induced selenium biofortification process in liquid culture.[Result ] Addition of 5 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg Na 2SeO 3 promoted mycelium growth,whereas Na 2SeO 3 with the mass fraction exceeding 10 mg/kg significantly inhibited the growth of T.aurantialba mycelia,with the inhibitory effect intensifying as Na 2SeO 3 mass fraction increased.Therefore,5 mg/kg and 10 …

Microbial Community Structure And Differential Metabolites Of High-Temperature Daqu And Rice Straw, Dan Xie, Cheng Wu, Jianfeng Hu, Wenyu Zhao, Heou Huang, Junlin Yang, Yuanlin Bi, Diqiang Wang

Journal of Food Science and Biotechnology

[Objective ] This study was designed to elucidate the microbial community succession dynamics of rice straw and high-temperature Daqu at distinct stages of fermentation,investigate the associations between differential metabolites and dominant microorganisms,and preliminarily predict the sources and contribution of microorganisms in high-temperature Daqu.[Method ] High-throughput sequencing combined with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS ) was used to analyze the variation patterns of microbial communities and metabolites during the fermentation of high-temperature Daqu.[Result ] Pantoea and Pseudomonas were the dominant bacterial genera,while the dominant fungal genera were Mrakia and Nigrospora in new rice straw (XC).For mother rice straw (MC),Bacillus and Saccharopolyspora were …

Effects Of Low-Pressure Electrostatic Field-Assisted Freezing At Different Field Strengths On The Quality Of Sea Buckthorn Leaves, Xiaoyue Dong, Tongliga Dong, Jinwei Te, Xiukuan Wang, Qian Hao, Meishu Miao, Xueyan Yun

Journal of Food Science and Biotechnology

[Objective ] This study aimed to investigate the effects of different freezing preservation techniques on the quality of sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides ) leaves.[Method ] A low-voltage electrostatic field (LVEF ) pretreatment was applied during the freezing process of sea buckthorn leaves,and its effects on freezing characteristics and bioactive compound retention were evaluated.Field strengths at 0,20,40,and 60 cm from the discharge plate were compared with conventional freezing in terms of freezing rate,water loss rate,bioactive compound retention rate,and antioxidant activity of sea buckthorn leaves.The optimized and conventionally frozen leaves were subsequently used to prepare sea buckthorn leaf yogurt,with plain yogurt (NY) …

Enhanced Expression Of Pepc Promotes The Synthesis Of 4-Hydroxyisoleucine By Corynebacterium Glutamicum, Chuhan Hu, Feng Shi

Journal of Food Science and Biotechnology

[Objective ] This study aims to achieve the efficient biosynthesis of 4-hydroxyisoleucine (4-HIL ) in Corynebacterium glutamicum (C.glutamicum ).[Method ] The isoleucine (Ile) inducible promoters (PbrnFEN) of varying strengths were used to dynamically upregulate the expression of the isoleucine dioxygenase (IDO ) gene ido and the Vitreoscilla hemoglobin (VHb ) gene vgb.On this basis,constitutive promoters of different strengths were employed to enhance the expression of the phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC ) gene ppc and the pyruvate carboxylase gene pyc.[Result ] Among the recombinant strains harboring different P brnFEN promoters,strain C.glutamicum SN-I 7V7 (SN-I 7V7) was selected.After 144 h of fermentation with …

Metagenomic Characterization Of Gut Microbiota In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Microbial Signatures And Modulation By Anti-Inflammatory Diet And Probiotics, Marysol Valencia-Buitrago, Rodrigo Dias Oliveira-Carvalho, Valbert Cardoso, Jessica Triviño-Valencia, Luisa Matilde Salamanca-Duque, Vanessa Martínez-Díaz, Jovanny Zabaleta, Narmer Fernando Galeano-Vanegas, Carlos Andrés Naranjo-Galvis

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Background: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is increasingly associated with alterations in gut microbiota, intestinal permeability, and immune dysregulation. However, integrative studies exploring these mechanisms in Latin American populations are lacking. Objective: To characterize gut microbiota profiles in Colombian children with ASD and evaluate the effects of two microbiota-targeted interventions, an anti-inflammatory diet and a probiotic formulation, on microbial diversity and taxonomic composition. Methods: In a two-phase study, shotgun metagenomic sequencing was performed on fecal samples from 23 children with ASD and 7 typically developing (TD) controls. In the second phase, 17 children with ASD were randomized to receive a 12-week …

Evaluation Of Dietary Additives On Yellowtail Kingfish (Seriola Lalandi) Gut And Skin Health And Disease Resistance Against Photobacterium Damselae Subsp. Damselae, Md Reaz Chaklader, Lindsey Woolley, Chelsea Woods, Frances Stephens, Richard Smullen, Gavin Partridge

Fisheries Research Articles

The present study evaluated the effectiveness of five dietary additives in improving growth performance, gut and skin health and disease resistance against Photobacterium damselae subsp. damselae (Pdd) in yellowtail kingfish (YTK) (Seriola lalandi). The additives were top-coated onto a commercial diet. The five additives evaluated were brewer’s yeast (BY), a yeast-based mannan oligosaccharide (MOS), a polyphenol product, a monoglyceride product and a combination of MOS and a superoxide dismutase (SOD) product. The monoglyceride and polyphenol products were trialled at both a low and high inclusion level. Diets were fed to YTK in triplicate tanks for 55 days. The …

Biophobia And Pet Ownership: Can Having A Pet Mitigate Our Fear And Aversion Towards Nature?, Alexia Barrable

The International Journal of Ecopsychology (IJE)

Biophobia, which we defined as fear, disgust, or aversion toward natural environments or organisms, has received little empirical attention when compared to biophilia, despite its implications for human and planetary wellbeing. This mixed-methods study explores the relationship between pet ownership, biophobia, and nature connectedness among 373 English- speaking adults. Quantitative findings reveal that (M = 26.4) exhibit significantly lower levels of biophobia than non-pet owners (M = 30.1; U = 5179, Z = -2.95, p = .002, R = 0.27), although no significant differences in nature connectedness were found across pet ownership (U = 7033, Z = 0.31, p = …

Editorial Vol11/1: "Eyes Wide Open", Editorial Board

The International Journal of Ecopsychology (IJE)

No abstract provided.

Interview With Dr. James Paruk, Editorial Board

The International Journal of Ecopsychology (IJE)

Dr. Paruk is an associate professor in the Biology Department at Saint Joseph’s College of Maine, in Standish, ME. He is a senior scientist at the Biodiversity Research Institute’s Loon Center for Conservation.

Bonding With Earth: Hyperbole, Metaphor, Or Fanciful Teleology?, George Conesa

The International Journal of Ecopsychology (IJE)

At a mere glance, the notion that humans could (should strive for?) bond emotionally with an entire planet, Earth, sounds hyperbolic at best and psychologically unsound at worst. For although humans might be motivated to act in ways that pass for “bonding,” perhaps assisted by intentions and sentiments to care for a whole planet, the question remains: Which notion of Earth are they really investing all their emotions in? Important to psychologists would be to inquire whether incomplete, idealized, oversimplified, or fantastic notions of “Earth,” or bonding, turn out to be transference-love-like, platonic, overidealized forms of affect, which seldom develop …

Setd2 Suppresses Tumorigenesis In A Krasg12c-Driven Lung Cancer Model, And Its Catalytic Activity Is Regulated By Histone Acetylation, Ricardo J Mack, Natasha M Flores, Geoffrey C Fox, Hanyang Dong, Metehan Cebeci, Simone Hausmann, Tourkian Chasan, Jill M Dowen, Brian D Strahl, Pawel K Mazur, Or Gozani

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Histone H3 trimethylation at lysine 36 (H3K36me3) is a key chromatin modification that regulates fundamental physiological and pathological processes. In humans, SETD2 is the only known enzyme that catalyzes H3K36me3 in somatic cells and is implicated in tumor suppression across multiple cancer types. While there is considerable crosstalk between the SETD2-H3K36me3 axis and other epigenetic modifications, much remains to be understood. Here, we show that Setd2 functions as a potent tumor suppressor in a KRASG12C-driven lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) mouse model, and that acetylation enhances SETD2 in vitro methylation of H3K36 on nucleosome substrates. In vivo, Setd2 ablation accelerates lethality in …

Alpiscorpius Huyukensis Sp. N., An Unexpected New Species From Sultan Mountains, Konya Province, Turkey (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae), Ersen A. Yağmur, Halil İ. Yaylı

Euscorpius

A new scorpion species, Alpiscorpius huyukensis sp. n., is described from the western foothills of the Sultan Mountains, Konya Province, in the Aegean Region of western Turkey, based on morphological characters. The species is assigned to the genus Alpiscorpius Gantenbein et al., 1999, due to the presence of three trichobothria in the em series on the external surface of the pedipalp patella. A. huyukensis sp. n. can be readily distinguished from its all congeners by its yellowish-orange or greyish-orange body and yellow metasomal coloration, the fifth metasomal segment bearing distinct ventrolateral carinae, the presence of six trichobothria in the …

Bees (Hymenoptera: Anthophila) Of Seasonal Herbaceous Wetlands In Mississippi, Haley Hughes, Katherine A. Parys, Kim T. Huntzinger, Caleb Lankford, Christine Fortuin, J. Brian Davis

Publications

Seasonal wetlands help meet the biological needs of various autumn migrating and wintering waterfowl species in North America (Reinecke et al. 1989). Management of seasonally flooded impoundments often uses soil and vegetation disturbances and water management to promote early succession plants that produce abundant seeds for foraging birds (Low and Bellrose 1944, Kross et al. 2008). Native bees (Hymenoptera: Anthophila) also occupy these wetland habitats, as they are attracted to a diversity of flowering plants (Stephenson et al. 2018).

The Mississippi Alluvial Valley (MAV) is an alluvial plain and once represented by nearly 10 million ha of bottomland hardwood forests, …

Age-Dependent Changes In Reproductive Behaviour And Success In A Long-Lived Beetle (Bolitotherus Cornutus), C. A. Greene, L. D. Mitchem, Vitor Dos Anjos , '21, E. D. Brodie Iii, Vincent A. Formica

Biology Faculty Works

Age-related changes in behaviors often result in shifts in an individual’s competitive ability, reproductive success, and fitness. However, how mating behaviors, aggression, and mating success simultaneously change as individuals age in natural populations remains understudied. Investigating these age-dependent effects in wild populations could reveal how age-specific patterns shape social dynamics and influence natural selection. In this study, we ask how behaviors associated with mating and reproductive success vary across age in a wild metapopulation of a long-lived beetle, Bolitotherus cornutus. We used both cross-sectional and longitudinal data from a multi-year field study of individually marked beetles to investigate how …

Resolution Of Physics And Deep Learning-Based Protein Engineering Filters: A Case Study With A Lipase For Industrial Substrate Hydrolysis, Spencer Gardiner, Peter Dollinger, Filip Kovacic, Jörge Pietruszka, Daniel Ess, Karl-Erich Jaeger, Gunnar F. Schröder, Dennis Della Corte

Faculty Publications

Computational enzyme design remains a powerful yet imperfect tool for optimizing biocatalysts, especially when targeting non-natural substrates. Using design tools we investigated Pseudomonas aeruginosa LipA, a lipase with a flexible lid domain crucial for substrate binding and turnover, aiming to enhance its hydrolysis of the industrially relevant substrate Roche ester. We generated an initial set of single-point mutations based on structural proximity to the active site and evaluated their effects using a computational pipeline integrating molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, density functional theory (DFT) calculations, and ensemble-based energy scoring. While we identified several active variants, attempts to rank them by activity …

Systematics And Phylogeography Of Mundochthonius Chamberlin, 1929, In The Pacific Northwest (Chelicerata, Pseudoscorpiones), Amanda Rai Montoya-Cowan

Dissertations and Theses

Understanding the processes that drive genetic divergence and species formation is central to evolutionary biology. Invertebrates with low dispersal ability, such as pseudoscorpions, are especially prone to cryptic diversification due to their occupancy of niche microhabitats and sensitivity to landscape barriers. Despite their ecological roles as predators and bioindicators, pseudoscorpions remain one of the least studied arachnid groups, with limited taxonomic resolution and few integrative studies. This research focuses on the genus Mundochthonius in the Pacific Northwest, particularly M. pacificus, a morphologically conserved species whose true diversity and distribution remain poorly understood.

Field surveys guided by a GIS-based habitat …

Observations On Predation Of The Flatback Turtle Natator Depressus By The Saltwater Crocodile Crocodylus Porosus At A Major Rookery In Northern Australia, Casper Avenant, James Gee

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Context: We examined predation by the saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) on the flatback turtle (Natator depressus), an Australian endemic, at Cape Domett, a significant nesting site in Cambridge Gulf, northern Australia, where crocodile populations have recovered since legislative protection was implemented in the 1970s. Aims: The investigation aimed to document crocodile predation on flatback turtles across hatchling and adult life stages, assess predation strategies, and evaluate ecological impacts on this genetically distinct turtle stock. Methods: Conducted over three Austral winters (2021–2023), the study utilised infrared videography, unmanned aerial vehicles, and beach patrols to observe predation events in a population of …

A Novel Sialylation Pathway Mediated By Extracellular Vesicles In Aggressive Prostate Cancer, Camila A. Bach, Md Niamat Hossain, Ishan J. Chaudhari, Cecilia E. Verrillo, Nicole M. Naranjo, Isabella Amoroso, Anna Testa, Samuel Sey, W. Kevin Kelly, Susan L. Bellis, Aurelio Lorico, Ada G. Blidner, Gabriel A. Rabinovich, Lucia R. Languino

Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology Faculty Papers

Altered cell surface glycosylation is a hallmark of cancer; among aberrant glycan structures, hypersialylated proteins contribute to disease progression. The enzyme ST6 β-galactoside α2,6-sialyltransferase 1 (ST6GAL1) mediates α2,6-linked sialylation of N-glycosylated proteins and is upregulated in many cancers, including prostate cancer (PrCa). We propose that ST6GAL1 may be released by cancer cells in small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) in the PrCa tumor microenvironment to potentially modulate cell surface sialylation in recipient cells. We isolated sEVs from PrCa cells by density gradient separation and characterized them by nanoparticle tracking analysis using ZetaView and immunoblotting analysis. We identified ST6GAL1 in both its membrane-bound …

Structural Analysis Of Pseudomonas Phage Dev Virion-Associated Rna Polymerase (Gp71), James Scherer

All ETDs from UAB

DEV is a Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteriophage part of a newly reclassified genus called Schitoviridae. This group of bacteriophages is also referred to as “N4-like” phages, after the prototypical Escherichia coli phage N4, originally isolated from sewage water in 19661. N4, and other phages in the group, contain a large, virion-associated RNA polymerase (vRNAP). This vRNAP is vital to the proliferation of the phage, as it performs the transcription of the early gene products and potentially acts as a motor that helps eject the viral genome into the host bacteria. In DEV, the vRNAP is also known as gene product 71 …