Complete genome sequences of T5-related Escherichia coli bacteriophages DT57C and DT571/2 isolated from horse feces

We report the complete genome sequencing of two Escherichia coli T5-related bacteriophages, DT57C and DT571/2, isolated from the same specimen of horse feces. These two isolates share 96 % nucleotide sequence identity and can thus be considered representatives of the same novel species within the genus T5likevirus. The observed variation in the ltfA gene of these phages, resulting from a recent recombination event, may explain the observed host-range differences, suggesting that a modular mechanism makes a significant contribution to the short-term evolution (or adaptation) of T5-like phage genomes in the intestinal ecosystem. Comparison of our isolates to their closest relative, coliphage T5, revealed high overall synteny of the genomes and high conservation of the sequences of almost all structural proteins as well as of the other proteins with identified functions. At the same time, numerous alterations and non-orthologous replacements of non-structural protein genes (mostly of those with unknown functions) as well as substantial differences in tail fiber locus organization support the conclusion that DT57C and DT571/2 form a species-level group clearly distinct from bacteriophage T5

Genomes of "phiKMV-like viruses" of Pseudomonas aeruginosa contain localized single-strand interruptions

AbstractThe “phiKMV-like viruses” comprise an important genus of T7 related phages infecting Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The genomes of these bacteriophages have localized single-strand interruptions (nicks), a distinguishing genomic trait previously thought to be unique for T5 related coliphages. Analysis of this feature in the newly sequenced phage φkF77 shows all four nicks to be localized on the non-coding DNA strand. They are present with high frequencies within the phage population and are introduced into the phage DNA at late stages of the lytic cycle. The general consensus sequence in the nicks (5′-CGACxxxxxCCTAoh pCTCCGG-3′) was shown to be common among all phiKMV-related phages