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Phage Phenomics: Physiological Approaches to Characterize Novel Viral Proteins
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Complete genome sequence of phi29-like Microbacterium foliorum podovirus phage PineapplePizza

Kylie LaBianca1, Jessica Butura2, Arden McKnight2

  • 1Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA.

Microbiology Resource Announcements
|September 6, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Bacteriophage PineapplePizza, a novel podovirus, infects Microbacterium foliorum. Its genome analysis reveals similarities to the well-studied Bacillus subtilis phage phi29, offering new research avenues.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Virology
  • Genomics

Background:

  • Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria and play crucial roles in microbial ecosystems.
  • Understanding phage diversity and characteristics is essential for phage therapy and biotechnology.
  • Microbacterium foliorum is a bacterial species with limited characterized phage predators.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize a newly isolated bacteriophage, named PineapplePizza, that infects Microbacterium foliorum.
  • To analyze the genome of Bacteriophage PineapplePizza and identify its genetic features.
  • To investigate potential evolutionary relationships between Bacteriophage PineapplePizza and other known phages.

Main Methods:

  • Isolation and characterization of Bacteriophage PineapplePizza from environmental samples.
  • Genome sequencing and assembly of Bacteriophage PineapplePizza.
  • Bioinformatic analysis of the phage genome, including gene prediction and comparison with existing databases.

Main Results:

  • Bacteriophage PineapplePizza was identified as a podovirus infecting Microbacterium foliorum NRRL B-24224.
  • The complete genome of Bacteriophage PineapplePizza is 16,662 base pairs long.
  • The genome contains 23 predicted protein-coding genes, with notable amino acid similarities to Bacillus subtilis phage phi29.

Conclusions:

  • Bacteriophage PineapplePizza represents a new addition to the characterized podovirus family.
  • The genomic features and similarities to phage phi29 provide insights into phage evolution and host interactions.
  • This study expands the knowledge of phages infecting Microbacterium species, potentially contributing to future applications in microbial control.
Keywords:
bacteriophages

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