Genome sequence analysis of the Vibrio parahaemolyticus lytic bacteriophage VPMS1

VPMS1 is a Vibrio parahaemolyticus lytic phage isolated from a marine clam. The 42.3-kb genome was predicted to encode 53 proteins. Comparison of the VPMS1 DNA genome with known phage genomes revealed no similarity; hence, it represents a new VP phage, organized into three differently oriented modules. The module for packaging covers 12 % of the genome, the module for structure covers 31 %, and the module for replication and regulation covers 48 %. The G + C content was 44.67 %. The coding region corresponds to 91 % of the genome, and 9 % apparently does not encode any protein. Thirty genes, constituting 57 % of the genome, had significant similarity to some reported proteins in the protein database; 23 genes, constituting 43 % of the genome, showed no significant homology to any reported protein, and these could be new proteins whose hypothetical functions can be deduced from their position in the genome.