Morphological, host range, and genetic characterization of two coliphages

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Updated: Sep 20, 2026

Phage Phenomics: Physiological Approaches to Characterize Novel Viral Proteins
09:40

Phage Phenomics: Physiological Approaches to Characterize Novel Viral Proteins

Published on: June 11, 2015

Lawrence Goodridge1, Alicia Gallaccio, Mansel W Griffiths

  • 1Canadian Research Institute for Food Safety, Department of Food Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 2W1.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology
|September 6, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Two coliphages, AR1 and LG1, were characterized for their morphology and genetics. Their wide host ranges suggest potential applications in controlling Escherichia coli in animals and food.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Virology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Coliphages are viruses that infect bacteria, specifically Escherichia coli.
  • Understanding phage characteristics is crucial for potential applications in biotechnology and medicine.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize two coliphages, AR1 and LG1, based on their morphology, host range, and genetic properties.
  • To assess the potential of these phages as biocontrol or diagnostic agents.

Main Methods:

  • Transmission electron microscopy for morphological analysis.
  • Host range testing on various Escherichia coli serotypes and other enterobacteria.
  • Genome size determination and restriction endonuclease analysis.
  • Southern hybridization for genetic relatedness assessment.

Main Results:

  • Both AR1 and LG1 belong to the Myoviridae family, with distinct head and tail dimensions.
  • Phages demonstrated broad infectivity against multiple E. coli serotypes and some other enterobacteria like Proteus mirabilis, Shigella dysenteriae, and Salmonella.
  • Genome sizes were 150 kb for AR1 and 49.5 kb for LG1.
  • AR1 shares genetic similarities with phage T4, indicated by restriction enzyme digestion and Southern hybridization.

Conclusions:

  • AR1 and LG1 are well-characterized coliphages with significant potential for practical applications.
  • Their wide host ranges suggest utility as biocontrol agents against E. coli in food and animal husbandry.
  • These phages could also serve as diagnostic tools for detecting E. coli prevalence.

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