Characterization and genome sequence of Microbacterium foliorum phage Morrigan, of cluster EA6 with siphovirus...

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Virology
• Genomics

Background:

• Actinobacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria in the Actinobacteria phylum.
• Understanding bacteriophage diversity is crucial for applications in biotechnology and medicine.
• Bacteriophage Morrigan was isolated from soil, a rich source of microbial diversity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize bacteriophage Morrigan, including its morphology, genome, and genetic makeup.
• To determine the phylogenetic placement of bacteriophage Morrigan within known bacteriophage groups.

Main Methods:

• Isolation of bacteriophage from soil using Microbacterium foliorum NRRL B-24224 as a host.
• Genomic DNA extraction and sequencing of bacteriophage Morrigan.
• Bioinformatic analysis of the genome to identify putative protein-coding genes and assess GC content.
• Comparative genomic analysis to determine phylogenetic relationships with other actinobacteriophages.

Main Results:

• Bacteriophage Morrigan exhibits siphovirus morphology and is lytic against Microbacterium foliorum.
• The genome of Morrigan is 40,509 bp with a GC content of 62.8%.
• Sixty-six putative protein-coding genes were identified, with 31 assigned putative functions.
• Gene content analysis places Morrigan within subcluster EA6 of actinobacteriophages.

Conclusions:

• Bacteriophage Morrigan represents a novel addition to the EA6 subcluster of actinobacteriophages.
• The characterization of Morrigan contributes to the growing knowledge of bacteriophage diversity and evolution.
• Further studies on Morrigan could reveal its potential applications in areas such as phage therapy or microbial control.