Bacteriophages that infect the cellulolytic ruminal bacterium Ruminococcus albus AR67.
OBJECTIVE
To isolate bacterial viruses that infect the ruminal cellulolytic bacterium Ruminococcus albus.


METHODS
Four phages infecting R. albus AR67 were isolated under anaerobic conditions using the soft-agar overlay technique. The phages were characterized on morphology, solvent stability, nucleic acid type and digestion characteristics. Two phages, phiRa02 and phiRa04 comprised icosahedral virions with linear double-stranded DNA and appeared to belong to the family Podoviridae [corrected] The other two phages are most likely filamentous phages with circular single-stranded DNA of the family Inoviridae.


CONCLUSIONS
Viruses of the family Inoviridae [corrected] have not previously been isolated from rumen bacteria. The phages isolated in this study are the first phages shown to infect the cellulolytic bacteria of the rumen. This suggests that the cellulolytic populations of the rumen are subject to lytic events that may impact on the ability of these bacteria to degrade plant fibre and on the nutrition of the animal.
Klieve
A V
AV
Queensland Department of Primary Industries, Agency for Food and Fibre Sciences, Moorooka, Queensland, Australia. athol.klieve@dpi.qld.gov.au
Bain
P A
PA
Yokoyama
M T
MT
Ouwerkerk
D
D
Forster
R J
RJ
Turner
A F
AF
D000693:Anaerobiosis; D004247:DNA / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D016172:DNA Fingerprinting; D004262:DNA Restriction Enzymes / Q000378:metabolism; D004270:DNA, Circular / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D017911:Inoviridae / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D017912:Inovirus / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D019251:Nucleocapsid / Q000648:ultrastructure; D045857:Ruminococcus / Q000821:virology*; D017916:Tectiviridae / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure
D004270:DNA, Circular; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded; D004279:DNA, Viral; D004247:DNA; D004262:DNA Restriction Enzymes