Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 15, 2025

Phage Phenomics: Physiological Approaches to Characterize Novel Viral Proteins
Published on: June 11, 2015
Characterization of Parageobacillus Bacteriophage vB_PtoS_NIIg3.2-A Representative of a New Genus within Thermophilic
Eugenijus Šimoliūnas1,2, Monika Šimoliūnienė1, Gintarė Laskevičiūtė1
1Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Institute of Biochemistry, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Saulėtekio av. 7, LT-10257 Vilnius, Lithuania.
Abstract:
A high temperature-adapted bacteriophage, vB_PtoS_NIIg3.2 (NIIg3.2), was isolated in Lithuania from compost heaps using Parageobacillus toebii strain NIIg-3 as a host for phage propagation. Furthermore, NIIg3.2 was active against four strains of Geobacillus thermodenitrificans, and it infected the host cells from 50 to 80 °C. Transmission electron microscopy analysis revealed siphovirus morphology characterized by an isometric head (~59 nm in diameter) and a noncontractile tail (~226 nm in length). The double-stranded DNA genome of NIIg3.2 (38,970 bp) contained 71 probable protein-encoding genes and no genes for tRNA. In total, 29 NIIg3.2 ORFs were given a putative functional annotation, including those coding for the proteins responsible for DNA packaging, virion structure/morphogenesis, phage-host interactions, lysis/lysogeny, replication/regulation, and nucleotide metabolism. Based on comparative phylogenetic and bioinformatic analysis, NIIg3.2 cannot be assigned to any genus currently recognized by ICTV and potentially represents a new one within siphoviruses. The results of this study not only extend our knowledge about poorly explored thermophilic bacteriophages but also provide new insights for further investigation and understanding the evolution of Bacilllus-group bacteria-infecting viruses.
Related Concept Videos
DNA Bacteriophages
Lytic Cycle of Bacteriophages
Viruses of Archaea
Viral Replication: Lytic Cycle
Lysogenic Cycle of Bacteriophages
Bacterial Phylum Tenericutes

