Phages unlock essential vitamin B12 by bursting open gut bacteria
All living organisms need vitamin B12 to form red blood cells and DNA, as well as to build and support brain and nerve cells. But it's hard to come by: Humans don't make it. Animals don't make it. Plants don't make it. In fact, this essential nutrient is made exclusively by certain bacteria and archaea.
Scientists have discovered that bacteriophages, or phages, release vitamin B12 from certain gut bacteria. These viruses infect bacteria, injecting their DNA and causing the host cell to explode and release new phages and cellular contents. Researchers from Virginia Tech found that phage infection is essential for releasing vitamin B12, as B12-dependent microbes could not grow without it.
The phages did not just release random cellular contents, but specifically the valuable vitamin B12. When genetically engineered B12-producing bacteria lacking this nutrient were lysed by phages, the B12-dependent microbes still failed to grow, proving that B12 was the key driver. These findings demonstrate the critical role phages play in nutrient distribution, microbial diversity, and gut microbiome health.
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