Genome Sequence and Characterization of Acinetobacter Phage DMU1

There has been a recent resurgence of research on the characterization of Acinetobacter phage for therapeutic use due to the morbidity and mortality associated with treatment failures in cases of multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii infections. A bacteriophage isolated from activated sludge that targets A. baumannii ATCC19606 was characterized by electron microscopy, genome sequencing, comparative genomics, and a host range analysis. The morphology of Acinetobacter phage DMU1 resembles phages in Siphoviridae. Comparative genomic and phylogenetic analyses reveal that DMU1 is a siphophage and is most closely related to Acinetobacter phage SH-Ab 15497. Out of the strains tested, DMU1 was found to only infect A. baumannii strains ATCC19606 and ATCC17978. Acinetobacter phage DMU1 belongs to the Siphoviridae family and is most closely related to Acinetobacter phage SH-Ab 15497. Small-scale host-range analysis of DMU1 indicates a host range that is likely limited to specific A. baumannii strains.