Isolation and characterization of a novel Escherichia coli Kayfunavirus phage DY1

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Virology
• Genomics

Background:

• Increasing antibiotic resistance necessitates alternative antibacterial strategies.
• Bacteriophages (phages) offer precise bacterial targeting, but require extensive characterization.
• Escherichia coli exhibits high diversity, with existing phages unable to target all serotypes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and characterize a novel phage specific to Escherichia coli.
• To expand the phage library for potential therapeutic applications.
• To enhance understanding of phage-host interactions within E. coli.

Main Methods:

• Isolation and characterization of a novel E. coli-specific phage, named DY1.
• Whole-genome sequencing and analysis of phage DY1.
• Comparative genomic and phylogenetic analyses with known phages.
• Stability testing across various temperatures and pH levels.

Main Results:

• Phage DY1, belonging to the Autographiviridae family (derived from Podoviridae), was identified.
• DY1's genome is 39,817 bp with 54 putative open reading frames.
• Phylogenetic analysis revealed DY1 as a novel Kayfunavirus phage, with ANI values below 0.82 against known phages.
• DY1 demonstrated stability at temperatures from 20-50 °C and pH 5-11.

Conclusions:

• Phage DY1 represents a novel species within the Kayfunavirus genus.
• DY1 exhibits favorable stability characteristics for potential therapeutic use.
• This discovery contributes to the growing phage library for combating E. coli infections.