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A novel jumbo Tenacibaculum maritimum lytic phage with head-fiber-like appendages

Yasuhiko Kawato1, Indah Istiqomah2,3, Alkhateib Y Gaafar2,4

  • 1Nansei Main Station, National Research Institute of Aquaculture, Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency, Watarai, Mie, Japan.

Archives of Virology
|December 2, 2019
PubMed

Insights

A novel jumbo bacteriophage targeting Tenacibaculum maritimum, a fish pathogen, was discovered. This phage exhibits unique head fibers potentially aiding host cell recognition for infection.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Virology
  • Aquaculture

Background:

  • Tenacibaculum maritimum causes tenacibaculosis, a significant disease in farmed marine fish globally.
  • Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria and are being explored as potential biocontrol agents in aquaculture.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe a novel jumbo bacteriophage (myovirus) isolated from seawater.
  • To characterize the morphology, genome, and genetic relatedness of this phage.
  • To investigate the function of the phage's head fibers in host interaction.

Main Methods:

  • Plaque isolation of bacteriophages from seawater samples.
  • Transmission electron microscopy for morphological analysis.
  • Whole-genome sequencing and bioinformatic analysis of phage genomes.
  • Phylogenetic analysis using the terminase large subunit gene.

Main Results:

  • A novel jumbo myovirus infecting Tenacibaculum maritimum was isolated and characterized.
  • The phage possesses a distinct morphology with a large head, flexible head fibers, and a contractile tail.
  • Genome analysis revealed large genomes with numerous open reading frames, showing high similarity between closely related isolates.
  • Phylogenetic analysis places this phage within a distinct cluster of jumbo myoviruses.
  • Head fibers are hypothesized to function in host cell surface recognition.

Conclusions:

  • The newly described bacteriophage represents a potential tool for managing tenacibaculosis in farmed fish.
  • The unique structural features, particularly the head fibers, warrant further investigation for their role in phage-host interactions.
  • This discovery contributes to the understanding of bacteriophage diversity and their application in aquaculture disease control.

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