title: Supersize me: Cronobacter sakazakii phage GAP32.
abstract: Cronobacter sakazakii is a Gram-negative pathogen found in milk-based formulae that causes infant meningitis. Bacteriophages have been proposed to control bacterial pathogens; however, comprehensive knowledge about a phage is required to ensure its safety before clinical application. We have characterized C. sakazakii phage vB_CsaM_GAP32 (GAP32), which possesses the second largest sequenced phage genome (358,663bp). A total of 571 genes including 545 protein coding sequences and 26 tRNAs were identified, thus more genes than in the smallest bacterium, Mycoplasma genitalium G37. BLASTP and HHpred searches, together with proteomic analyses reveal that only 23.9% of the putative proteins have defined functions. Some of the unique features of this phage include: a chromosome condensation protein, two copies of the large subunit terminase, a predicted signal-arrest-release lysin; and an RpoD-like protein, which is possibly involved in the switch from immediate early to delayed early transcription. Its closest relatives are all extremely large myoviruses, namely coliphage PBECO4 and Klebsiella phage vB_KleM-RaK2, with whom it shares approximately 44% homologous proteins. Since the homologs are not evenly distributed, we propose that these three phages belong to a new subfamily.
authors.affiliation: Canadian Research Institute for Food Safety, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada N1G 2W1.
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Abbasifar
authors.affiliation: Canadian Research Institute for Food Safety, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada N1G 2W1.
authors.forename: Mansel W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Griffiths
authors.affiliation: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Guelph Food Research Centre, Guelph, ON, Canada N1G 5C9.
authors.forename: Parviz M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Sabour
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology-Infectiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Hans-Wolfgang
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Ackermann
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Gene Technology, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Katrien
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vandersteegen
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Gene Technology, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Rob
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lavigne
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Research Institute and Transnational University Limburg, School of Life Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jean-Paul
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Noben
authors.affiliation: Canadian Research Institute for Food Safety, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada N1G 2W1.
authors.forename: Argentina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alanis Villa
authors.affiliation: Canadian Research Institute for Food Safety, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada N1G 2W1.
authors.forename: Arash
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abbasifar
authors.affiliation: Public Health Agency of Canada, Laboratory for Foodborne Zoonoses, Guelph, ON, Canada N1G 3W4.
authors.forename: John H E
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Nash
authors.affiliation: Public Health Agency of Canada, Laboratory for Foodborne Zoonoses, Guelph, ON, Canada N1G 3W4; Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada N1G 2W1. Electronic address: akropins@uoguelph.ca.
authors.forename: Andrew M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Kropinski
mesh_terms: D001435:Bacteriophages / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D001483:Base Sequence; D044083:Cronobacter sakazakii / Q000821:virology*; D059646:Genome Size; D016679:Genome, Viral; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D017900:Myoviridae / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D010802:Phylogeny; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D014764:Viral Proteins
keywords: Bacteriophage; Cronobacter; Genome; Myoviridae; Proteome; SAR lysin; vB_CsaM_GAP32