Surface architecture shapes phage adsorption in pathogenic E. coli O157:H7

In a bioRxiv preprint that has not yet been peer reviewed, Rivera-Lopez et al. map phage susceptibility determinants across four E. coli O157:H7 strains using 38 phages. Disrupting the gfc-etk capsule operon abolished infection in 11 genetically diverse myoviruses; O-antigen changes either improved access to terminal receptors or removed a recognition substrate, depending on the phage. The authors report that surface glycan layers help determine whether conserved protein receptors are accessible in pathogenic strains. The preprint was first published July 24, 2026; version 2 is dated September 10, 2026.