Complete genome sequence of the broad host range Acinetobacter baumannii phage EAb13

Area of Science:

• Microbiology and Virology
• Genomics
• Antimicrobial Resistance

Background:

• Multidrug-resistant *Acinetobacter baumannii* poses a significant global health threat.
• Bacteriophages represent a promising alternative or adjunct to conventional antibiotics.
• Characterization of novel phages is crucial for developing phage-based therapies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the genomic features of a novel lytic bacteriophage, EAb13.
• To assess the lytic activity of EAb13 against multidrug-resistant *Acinetobacter baumannii*.
• To provide foundational data for the potential application of EAb13 in combating *A. baumannii* infections.

Main Methods:

• Isolation of bacteriophage EAb13 from sewage samples.
• Whole-genome sequencing and assembly of the EAb13 bacteriophage.
• Bioinformatic analysis to determine genome size, GC content, and identify coding sequences.

Main Results:

• EAb13 is an unclassified siphovirus with a genome size of 82,411 base pairs.
• The genome exhibits a GC content of 40.15% and contains 126 predicted protein-coding sequences.
• The phage genome possesses direct terminal repeats of 2,177 bp and demonstrates broad lytic activity against multidrug-resistant *Acinetobacter baumannii* strains.

Conclusions:

• The genomic characterization of EAb13 provides essential information about its genetic makeup.
• EAb13's broad-spectrum activity against multidrug-resistant *A. baumannii* highlights its therapeutic potential.
• This study contributes to the growing repository of phage genomes for developing novel antimicrobial interventions.