title: Genomic sequence of C1, the first streptococcal phage.
abstract: C(1), a lytic bacteriophage infecting group C streptococci, is one of the earliest-isolated phages, and the method of bacterial classification known as phage typing was defined by using this bacteriophage. We present for the first time a detailed analysis of this phage by use of electron microscopy, protein profiling, and complete nucleotide sequencing. This virus belongs to the Podoviridae family of phages, all of which are characterized by short, noncontractile tails. The C(1) genome consists of a linear double-stranded DNA molecule of 16,687 nucleotides with 143-bp inverted terminal repeats. We have assigned functions to 9 of 20 putative open reading frames based on experimental substantiation or bioinformatic analysis. Their products include DNA polymerase, holin, lysin, major capsid, head-tail connector, neck appendage, and major tail proteins. Additionally, we found one intron belonging to the HNH endonuclease family interrupting the apparent lysin gene, suggesting a potential splicing event yielding a functional lytic enzyme. Examination of the C(1) DNA polymerase suggests that this phage utilizes a protein-primed mechanism of replication, which is prominent in the phi29-like members of Podoviridae. Consistent with this evidence, we experimentally determined that terminal proteins are covalently attached to both 5' termini, despite the fact that no homology to known terminal proteins could be elucidated in any of our open reading frames. Likewise, comparative genomics revealed no close evolutionary matches, suggesting that the C(1) bacteriophage is a unique member of the Podoviridae.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Bacterial Pathogenesis and Immunology, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York 10021, USA. nelsond@rockefeller.edu
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.forename: Raymond
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schuch
authors.forename: Shiwei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Donna M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Tscherne
authors.forename: Vincent A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Fischetti
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019295:Computational Biology; D004259:DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016679:Genome, Viral; D006801:Humans; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016366:Open Reading Frames / Q000235:genetics; D017902:Podoviridae / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D011991:Receptors, Virus; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000145:classification / Q000821:virology*; D017108:Streptococcus Phages / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D011991:Receptors, Virus; D014764:Viral Proteins; D004259:DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase