title: Genomic characterization of lytic Staphylococcus aureus phage GH15: providing new clues to intron shift in phages.
abstract: Phage GH15 is a polyvalent phage that shows activity against a wide range of Staphylcoccus aureus strains. This study analysed the genome of GH15. The genome size of GH15 (139 806 bp) was found to be larger than that of the known staphylococcal phages, and the G+C content (30.23 mol%) of GH15 was lower than that of any other staphylococcal myovirus phages. By mass spectrometry, ten structural proteins were identified. Analysis revealed that GH15 was closely related to phages G1, ISP, A5W, Sb-1 and K, and was moderately related to Twort. In light of the variability in identity, coverage, G+C content and genome size, coupled with the large number of mosaicisms, there certainly were close evolutionary relationships from K to Sb-1, A5W, ISP, G1 and finally GH15. Interestingly, all the introns and inteins present in the above phages were absent in GH15 and there appeared to be intron loss in GH15 compared with the intron gain seen in other phages. A comparison of the intron- and intein-related genes demonstrated a clear distinction in the location of the insertion site between intron-containing and intron-free alleles, and this might lead to the establishment of a consensus sequence associated with the presence of an intron or intein. The comparative analysis of the GH15 genome sequence with other phages not only provides compelling evidence for the diversity of staphylococcal myovirus phages but also offers new clues to intron shift in phages.
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, PR China.
authors.forename: Jingmin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, PR China.
authors.forename: Xiaohe
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, PR China.
authors.forename: Mei
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, PR China.
authors.forename: Yue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, PR China.
authors.forename: Changjiang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, PR China.
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, PR China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, PR China.
authors.forename: Qingming
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, PR China.
authors.forename: Liancheng
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lei
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, PR China.
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, PR China.
authors.forename: Chongtao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Du
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, PR China.
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, PR China.
authors.forename: Yongjun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, PR China.
authors.forename: Wenyu
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Han
mesh_terms: D001482:Base Composition; D001483:Base Sequence; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D016679:Genome, Viral; D047668:Inteins; D007438:Introns; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013204:Staphylococcus Phages / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000821:virology*; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D014764:Viral Proteins