Analysis of a Novel Bacteriophage vB_AchrS_AchV4 Highlights the Diversity of <i>Achromobacter</i> Viruses
2021
Laura Kaliniene | Algirdas Noreika | Algirdas Kaupinis | Mindaugas Valius | Edvinas Jurgelaitis | Justas Lazutka | Rita Meškienė | Rolandas Meškys
<i>Achromobacter</i> spp. are ubiquitous in nature and are increasingly being recognized as emerging nosocomial pathogens. Nevertheless, to date, only 30 complete genome sequences of <i>Achromobacter</i> phages are available in GenBank, and nearly all of those phages were isolated on <i>Achromobacter xylosoxidans</i>. Here, we report the isolation and characterization of bacteriophage vB_AchrS_AchV4. To the best of our knowledge, vB_AchrS_AchV4 is the first virus isolated from <i>Achromobacter spanius</i>. Both vB_AchrS_AchV4 and its host, <i>Achromobacter spanius</i> RL_4, were isolated in Lithuania. VB_AchrS_AchV4 is a siphovirus, since it has an isometric head (64 ± 3.2 nm in diameter) and a non-contractile flexible tail (232 ± 5.4). The genome of vB_AchrS_AchV4 is a linear dsDNA molecule of 59,489 bp with a G+C content of 62.8%. It contains no tRNA genes, yet it includes 82 protein-coding genes, of which 27 have no homologues in phages. Using bioinformatics approaches, 36 vB_AchrS_AchV4 genes were given a putative function. A further four were annotated based on the results of LC–MS/MS. Comparative analyses revealed that vB_AchrS_AchV4 is a singleton siphovirus with no close relatives among known tailed phages. In summary, this work not only describes a novel and unique phage, but also advances our knowledge of genetic diversity and evolution of <i>Achromobacter</i> bacteriophages.
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