Infection and Genomic Properties of Single- and Double-Stranded DNA <i>Cellulophaga</i> Phages
Bacterial viruses (phages) are abundant and ecologically impactful, but laboratory-based experimental model systems vastly under-represent known phage diversity, particularly for ssDNA phages. Here, we characterize the genomes and infection properties of two unrelated marine flavophages—ssDNA genera...
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2025-03-01
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| author | Cristina Howard-Varona Natalie E. Solonenko Marie Burris Marion Urvoy Courtney M. Sanderson Bejamin Bolduc Matthew B. Sullivan |
| author_facet | Cristina Howard-Varona Natalie E. Solonenko Marie Burris Marion Urvoy Courtney M. Sanderson Bejamin Bolduc Matthew B. Sullivan |
| author_sort | Cristina Howard-Varona |
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| description | Bacterial viruses (phages) are abundant and ecologically impactful, but laboratory-based experimental model systems vastly under-represent known phage diversity, particularly for ssDNA phages. Here, we characterize the genomes and infection properties of two unrelated marine flavophages—ssDNA generalist phage phi18:4 (6.5 Kbp) and dsDNA specialist phage phi18:1 (39.2 Kbp)—when infecting the same <i>Cellulophaga baltica</i> strain #18 (Cba18), of the class <i>Flavobacteriia</i>. Phage phi18:4 belongs to a new family of ssDNA phages, has an internal lipid membrane, and its genome encodes primarily structural proteins, as well as a DNA replication protein common to ssDNA phages and a unique lysis protein. Phage phi18:1 is a siphovirus that encodes several virulence genes, despite not having a known temperate lifestyle, a CAZy enzyme likely for regulatory purposes, and four DNA methyltransferases dispersed throughout the genome that suggest both host modulation and phage DNA protection against host restriction. Physiologically, ssDNA phage phi18:4 has a shorter latent period and smaller burst size than dsDNA phage phi18:1, and both phages efficiently infect this host. These results help augment the diversity of characterized environmental phage–host model systems by studying infections of genomically diverse phages (ssDNA vs. dsDNA) on the same host. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1999-4915 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-c0ba4c3f41804b5f857700acd1e3349e2025-08-20T01:50:07ZengMDPI AGViruses1999-49152025-03-0117336510.3390/v17030365Infection and Genomic Properties of Single- and Double-Stranded DNA <i>Cellulophaga</i> PhagesCristina Howard-Varona0Natalie E. Solonenko1Marie Burris2Marion Urvoy3Courtney M. Sanderson4Bejamin Bolduc5Matthew B. Sullivan6Department of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, 484 W 12th Ave, Columbus, OH 43210, USADepartment of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, 484 W 12th Ave, Columbus, OH 43210, USADepartment of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, 484 W 12th Ave, Columbus, OH 43210, USADepartment of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, 484 W 12th Ave, Columbus, OH 43210, USADepartment of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, 484 W 12th Ave, Columbus, OH 43210, USADepartment of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, 484 W 12th Ave, Columbus, OH 43210, USADepartment of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, 484 W 12th Ave, Columbus, OH 43210, USABacterial viruses (phages) are abundant and ecologically impactful, but laboratory-based experimental model systems vastly under-represent known phage diversity, particularly for ssDNA phages. Here, we characterize the genomes and infection properties of two unrelated marine flavophages—ssDNA generalist phage phi18:4 (6.5 Kbp) and dsDNA specialist phage phi18:1 (39.2 Kbp)—when infecting the same <i>Cellulophaga baltica</i> strain #18 (Cba18), of the class <i>Flavobacteriia</i>. Phage phi18:4 belongs to a new family of ssDNA phages, has an internal lipid membrane, and its genome encodes primarily structural proteins, as well as a DNA replication protein common to ssDNA phages and a unique lysis protein. Phage phi18:1 is a siphovirus that encodes several virulence genes, despite not having a known temperate lifestyle, a CAZy enzyme likely for regulatory purposes, and four DNA methyltransferases dispersed throughout the genome that suggest both host modulation and phage DNA protection against host restriction. Physiologically, ssDNA phage phi18:4 has a shorter latent period and smaller burst size than dsDNA phage phi18:1, and both phages efficiently infect this host. These results help augment the diversity of characterized environmental phage–host model systems by studying infections of genomically diverse phages (ssDNA vs. dsDNA) on the same host.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/3/365virusbacteriophageflavophagessDNA phagedsDNA phagebacteria |
| spellingShingle | Cristina Howard-Varona Natalie E. Solonenko Marie Burris Marion Urvoy Courtney M. Sanderson Bejamin Bolduc Matthew B. Sullivan Infection and Genomic Properties of Single- and Double-Stranded DNA <i>Cellulophaga</i> Phages Viruses virus bacteriophage flavophage ssDNA phage dsDNA phage bacteria |
| title | Infection and Genomic Properties of Single- and Double-Stranded DNA <i>Cellulophaga</i> Phages |
| title_full | Infection and Genomic Properties of Single- and Double-Stranded DNA <i>Cellulophaga</i> Phages |
| title_fullStr | Infection and Genomic Properties of Single- and Double-Stranded DNA <i>Cellulophaga</i> Phages |
| title_full_unstemmed | Infection and Genomic Properties of Single- and Double-Stranded DNA <i>Cellulophaga</i> Phages |
| title_short | Infection and Genomic Properties of Single- and Double-Stranded DNA <i>Cellulophaga</i> Phages |
| title_sort | infection and genomic properties of single and double stranded dna i cellulophaga i phages |
| topic | virus bacteriophage flavophage ssDNA phage dsDNA phage bacteria |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/3/365 |
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