Pectobacterium atrosepticum phage vB_PatP_CB5: A member of the proposed genus ‘Phimunavirus’

Buttimer, Colin; Lucid, Alan; Neve, Horst; Franz, Charles; O�Mahony, Jim; Turner, Dann; Lavigne, Rob; Coffey, Aidan

Abstract

© 2018 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Pectobacterium atrosepticum is a phytopathogen of economic importance as it is the causative agent of potato blackleg and soft rot. Here we describe the Pectobacterium phage vB_PatP_CB5 (abbreviated as CB5), which specifically infects the bacterium. The bacteriophage is characterized in detail and TEM micrographs indicate that it belongs to the Podoviridae family. CB5 shares significant pairwise nucleotide identity (≥80%) with P. atrosepticum phages 'M1, Peat1, and PP90 and also shares common genome organization. Phylograms constructed using conserved proteins and whole-genome comparison-based amino acid sequences show that these phages form a distinct clade within the Autographivirinae. They also possess conserved RNA polymerase recognition and specificity loop sequences. Their lysis cassette resembles that of KP34virus, containing in sequential order a U-spanin, a holin, and a signal–arrest–release (SAR) endolysin. However, they share low pairwise nucleotide identity with the type phage of the KP34virus genus, Klebsiella phage KP34. In addition, phage KP34 does not possess several conserved proteins associated with these P. atrosepticum phages. As such, we propose the allocation of phages CB5, Peat1, 'M1, and PP90 to a separate new genus designated Phimunavirus.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jul 24, 2018
• Online Publication Date: Jul 26, 2018
• Publication Date: Aug 1, 2018
• Deposit Date: Jul 27, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 27, 2018
• Journal: Viruses
• Electronic ISSN: 1999-4915
• Publisher: MDPI
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 10
• Issue: 8
• Article Number: 394
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/v10080394
• Keywords: Pectobacterium atrosepticum, Autographivirinae, ‘Phimunavirus’, bacteriophage, phage, Podoviridae, taxonomy
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/864113
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/v10080394
• Contract Date: Jul 27, 2018