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Updated: Jul 9, 2025
Phage Phenomics: Physiological Approaches to Characterize Novel Viral Proteins
Published on: June 11, 2015
Characterization of a novel lytic bacteriophage VPMCC14 which efficiently controls Vibrio harveyi in Penaeus monodon
Priyanka Kar1,2, Smita Ghosh1,2, Pijush Payra3
1Department of Biological Sciences, Midnapore City College, Midnapore, West Bengal, 721129, India.
Abstract:
Vibrio harveyi causes luminous vibriosis diseases in shrimp, which lead to shrimp mortalities. Considering the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, a Vibrio-infecting bacteriophage, VPMCC14, was characterized, and its lysis ability was evaluated on a laboratory scale. VPMCC14 was shown to infect V. harveyi S5A and V. harveyi ATCC 14126. VPMCC14 also exhibited a latent period of 30 min, with a burst size of 38 PFU/cell on its propagation strain. The bacteriophage was stable at a wide range of pHs (3-9), temperatures (0-45°C), and salinities (up to 40 ppt). VPMCC14 exhibited strict virulence properties as the bacteriophage entirely lysed V. harveyi S5A in liquid culture inhibition after 5 h and 4 h at very low MOIs such as MOI 0.1 and MOI 1, respectively. VPMCC14 could control V. harveyi infection in aquariums at MOI 1 and decrease the mortality of Penaeus monodon challenged by V. harveyi. VPMCC14 genome was 134,472 bp long with a 34.5 G+C% content, and 240 open reading frames. A unique characteristic of VPMCC14 was the presence of the HicB family antitoxin-coding open reading frame. Comparative genomic analyses suggested that VPMCC14 could be a representative of a new genus in the Caudoviricetes class. This novel bacteriophage, VPMCC14, could be applied as a biocontrol agent for controlling V. harveyi infection.
Insights
A novel bacteriophage, VPMCC14, effectively targets Vibrio harveyi, a pathogen causing shrimp luminous vibriosis. This bacteriophage shows potential as a biocontrol agent to mitigate shrimp mortality and combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Aquaculture
- Virology
Background:
- Vibrio harveyi causes luminous vibriosis, leading to significant shrimp mortalities.
- The rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria necessitates alternative disease control strategies in aquaculture.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the bacteriophage VPMCC14, which infects Vibrio harveyi.
- To evaluate the lysis ability and biocontrol potential of VPMCC14 against V. harveyi.
Main Methods:
- Isolation and characterization of bacteriophage VPMCC14.
- In vitro lysis assays and stability tests across various environmental conditions (pH, temperature, salinity).
- Genome sequencing and comparative genomic analysis of VPMCC14.
Main Results:
- VPMCC14 effectively infected and lysed V. harveyi strains, including V. harveyi S5A and ATCC 14126.
- The bacteriophage demonstrated stability over a broad range of pH, temperature, and salinity.
- VPMCC14 significantly reduced V. harveyi populations in liquid cultures and decreased mortality in Penaeus monodon challenged with the pathogen.
- Genomic analysis revealed VPMCC14 possesses unique genetic features and may represent a new genus.
Conclusions:
- Bacteriophage VPMCC14 is a promising biocontrol agent against Vibrio harveyi infections in shrimp.
- Its stability and efficacy at low multiplicities of infection (MOI) highlight its practical application potential.
- VPMCC14 offers a viable alternative to antibiotics for managing luminous vibriosis in aquaculture.
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