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Environmental Sampling of Photosynthetic Microbes and Their Viruses: From Field to Lab
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The genome of S-PM2, a "photosynthetic" T4-type bacteriophage that infects marine Synechococcus strains

Nicholas H Mann1, Martha R J Clokie, Andrew Millard

  • 1Department of Biological Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK. N.H.Mann@warwick.ac.uk

Journal of Bacteriology
|April 20, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Marine cyanophage S-PM2 infects Synechococcus, impacting its energy production. Its genome reveals novel functions potentially adapting host metabolism for phage replication during infection.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Virology
  • Marine Biology

Background:

  • Bacteriophage S-PM2 is a myovirus that infects marine cyanobacteria, particularly Synechococcus.
  • Cyanobacteria are ecologically significant in marine environments.
  • Understanding phage-host interactions is crucial for marine ecosystem dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the genome of bacteriophage S-PM2.
  • To identify genes and functions related to phage replication and host interaction.
  • To investigate phage-mediated modifications of host metabolism.

Main Methods:

  • Genome sequencing and analysis of bacteriophage S-PM2.
  • Identification and characterization of open reading frames (ORFs).
  • Comparative genomics to identify homologous genes in cyanobacterial hosts and other phages.

Main Results:

  • The S-PM2 genome is 196,280 bp with 37.8% G+C content, encoding 239 ORFs and 25 tRNAs.
  • 40 ORFs show homology to T4 phage proteins involved in various functions, including morphogenesis and DNA metabolism.
  • Multiple S-PM2 ORFs are linked to host cell envelope and metabolism, including modifications to the photosynthetic apparatus.

Conclusions:

  • The S-PM2 genome encodes numerous proteins with unknown functions, potentially involved in adapting host metabolism for phage replication.
  • Phage-induced modifications of the host's photosynthetic apparatus are likely essential for energy production during the lytic cycle.
  • S-PM2 represents a significant model for studying phage-cyanobacteria interactions and their impact on marine microbial ecosystems.

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