Phage Biology Group

Overview

Core fields of research

Basic natural phenomena and mathematical thinking

Faculty

Faculty of Mathematics and Science

Department

Department of Biological and Environmental Science

Research group description

We study phage biology using mainly freshwater phage-host systems as models. We are especially interested in megaphages which are larger and have genomes over ten times longer than the so-called typical phages. Our study interests include phage characteristics, phage-host interactions and phage competition.

Current

Members

Research group

Group leaders

Elina Laanto

Assistant Professor

Members

Karyna Karneyeva

Postdoctoral Researcher

Meeri Niemi

Doctoral Researcher

Publications

Publications

Publication

2025

Available through Open Access

ssDNA phage FLiP resides in dsDNA form in resistant Flavobacterium host

Biology Direct.

Mäkelä, Kati

Penttinen, Reetta

Ravantti, Janne

Laanto, Elina

Sundberg, Lotta-Riina

Publication

2024

Available through Open Access

Determinants in the phage life cycle : The dynamic nature of ssDNA phage FLiP and host interactions under varying environmental conditions and growth phases

Environmental Microbiology.

Mäkelä, Kati

Laanto, Elina

Sundberg, Lotta‐Riina

Publication

2024

Available through Open Access

VitroJet : new features and case studies

Acta Crystallographica Section D : Structural Biology.

Henderikx, Rene J. M.

Mann, Daniel

Domanska, Aušra

Dong, Jing

Shahzad, Saba

Lak, Behnam

Filopoulou, Aikaterini

Ludig, Damian

Grininger, Martin

Momoh, Jeffrey

Laanto, Elina

Oksanen, Hanna M.

Bisikalo, Kyrylo

Williams, Pamela A.

Butcher, Sarah J.

Peters, Peter J.

Beulen, Bart W. A. M. M.

Publication

2023

Available through Open Access

Overcoming Bacteriophage Resistance in Phage Therapy

Bacteriophages. Methods in Molecular Biology. Humana Press.

Laanto, Elina

Publication

2023

Available through Open Access

Three Phages from a Boreal Lake during Ice Cover Infecting Xylophilus, Caulobacter, and Polaromonas Species

Viruses.

Laanto, Elina

Oksanen, Hanna M.

Publication

2022

Available through Open Access

Cryo-EM structure of ssDNA bacteriophage ΦCjT23 provides insight into early virus evolution

Nature Communications.

Kejzar, Nejc

Laanto, Elina

Rissanen, Ilona

Abrishami, Vahid

Selvaraj, Muniyandi

Moineau, Sylvain

Ravantti, Janne

Sundberg, Lotta-Riina

Huiskonen, Juha T.

Publication

2022

Available through Open Access

Prevalence of genetically similar Flavobacterium columnare phages across aquaculture environments reveals a strong potential for pathogen control

Environmental Microbiology.

Runtuvuori‐Salmela, A.

Kunttu, H. M. T.

Laanto, E.

Almeida, G. M. F.

Mäkelä, K.

Middelboe, M.

Sundberg, L‐R.

Publication

2022

Available through Open Access

The effect of a temperature‐sensitive prophage on the evolution of virulence in an opportunistic bacterial pathogen

Molecular Ecology.

Bruneaux, Matthieu

Ashrafi, Roghaieh

Kronholm, Ilkka

Laanto, Elina

Örmälä‐Odegrip, Anni‐Maria

Galarza, Juan A.

Chen, Zihan

Kubendran, Sumathi Mruthyunjay

Ketola, Tarmo

Publication

2021

Available through Open Access

Black box of phage–bacterium interactions : exploring alternative phage infection strategies

Open Biology.

Mäntynen, Sari

Laanto, Elina

Oksanen, Hanna M.

Poranen, Minna M.

Díaz-Muñoz, Samuel L.

Publication

2020

Available through Open Access

Adapting a Phage to Combat Phage Resistance

Antibiotics.

Laanto, Elina

Mäkelä, Kati

Hoikkala, Ville

Ravantti, Janne J.

Sundberg, Lotta-Riina

Publication

2020

Available through Open Access

ICTV Virus Taxonomy Profile : Finnlakeviridae

Journal of General Virology.

Mäntynen, Sari

Laanto, Elina

Sundberg, Lotta-Riina

Poranen, Minna M.

Oksanen, Hanna M.

ICTV Report Consortium

Publication

2020

Available through Open Access

Prophages and Past Prophage-Host Interactions Revealed by CRISPR Spacer Content in a Fish Pathogen

Microorganisms.

Laanto, Elina

Ravantti, Janne J.

Sundberg, Lotta-Riina

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