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Complete Genome Sequence of the Streptococcus suis Temperate Bacteriophage ϕNJ2

Fang Tang1, Alex Bossers, Frank Harders

  • 1Key Lab Animal Bacteriology, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China.

Genome Announcements
|February 14, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Researchers discovered a novel bacteriophage, ϕNJ2, specific to Streptococcus suis. This finding is significant for understanding and potentially combating S. suis infections in both piglets and humans.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Virology
  • Bacteriology

Background:

  • Streptococcus suis is a significant pathogen causing meningitis, arthritis, and mortality in piglets.
  • S. suis also poses a risk for human meningitis infections.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify and characterize novel bacteriophages specific to Streptococcus suis.
  • To determine the genomic features of a newly identified S. suis bacteriophage.

Main Methods:

  • Induction of bacteriophage from S. suis strain NJ2 using mitomycin C.
  • Whole genome sequencing of the isolated bacteriophage (ϕNJ2).
  • Bioinformatic analysis of the bacteriophage genome to identify open reading frames (ORFs).

Main Results:

  • A novel temperate bacteriophage, designated ϕNJ2, was successfully isolated from S. suis strain NJ2.
  • The complete genome sequence of ϕNJ2 was determined to be 37,282 bp.
  • The genome contains 56 predicted open reading frames (ORFs), with 55% encoding hypothetical proteins, highlighting its novelty.

Conclusions:

  • The identification and characterization of ϕNJ2 represent a significant advancement in understanding S. suis-host interactions.
  • The unique genomic features of ϕNJ2 suggest potential for novel applications in phage therapy or diagnostics.
  • Further research into the functional ORFs of ϕNJ2 is warranted to explore its full potential.

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