Complete genome sequence of a novel bacteriophage vB_Pci_PCMW57 infecting phytobacteria pseudomonas cichorii

A novel virulent bacteriophage infecting phytobacteria Pseudomonas cichorii (P. cichorii) was isolated from leafy vegetables in Brazil. P. cichorii is a Gram-negative soil phytobacterium, the causal agent of a number of economically important plant diseases worldwide.

In this study, a new phage specific for P. cichorii was isolated from solid samples (lettuce, chicory and cabbage), designated vB_Pci_PCMW57. Electron microscopy revealed a small virion (~ 50-nm-diameter icosahedral capsid) with a short, non-contractile tail. The genome of vB_Pci_PCMW57 is 40,117 bp in size, with a GC content of 57.6% and encodes 49 open reading frames. The phage is genetically similar to P. syringae phages Pst_GM1 and Pst_GIL1, and the P. fluorescens phages WRT and KNP. According to electron microscopy and whole-genome sequence analysis, vB_Pci_PCMW57 should be classified as a Caudoviticetes, family Autographiviridae, subfamily Studiervirinae.

The complete phage genome was annotated, and the sequence identity of the virus with other Pseudomonas viruses was higher than 95%. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a bacteriophage infecting Pseudomonas cichorii.