title: Incomplete LPS Core-Specific Felix01-Like Virus vB_EcoM_VpaE1.
abstract: Bacteriophages represent a valuable source for studying the mechanisms underlying virus-host interactions. A better understanding of the host-specificity of viruses at the molecular level can promote various phage applications, including bacterial diagnostics, antimicrobial therapeutics, and improve methods in molecular biology. In this study, we describe the isolation and characterization of a novel coliphage, vB_EcoM_VpaE1, which has different host specificity than its relatives. Morphology studies, coupled with the results of genomic and proteomic analyses, indicate that vB_EcoM_VpaE1 belongs to the newly proposed genus Felix01likevirus in the family Myoviridae. The genus Felix01likevirus comprises a group of highly similar phages that infect O-antigen-expressing Salmonella and Escherichia coli (E. coli) strains. Phage vB_EcoM_VpaE1 differs from the rest of Felix01-like viruses, since it infects O-antigen-deficient E. coli strains with an incomplete core lipopolysaccharide (LPS). We show that vB_EcoM_VpaE1 can infect mutants of E. coli that contain various truncations in their LPS, and can even recognize LPS that is truncated down to the inner-core oligosaccharide, showing potential for the control of rough E. coli strains, which usually emerge as resistant mutants upon infection by O-Ag-specific phages. Furthermore, VpaE1 can replicate in a wide temperature range from 9 to 49 °C, suggesting that this virus is well adapted to harsh environmental conditions. Since the structural proteins of such phages tend to be rather robust, the receptor-recognizing proteins of VpaE1 are an attractive tool for application in glycan analysis, bacterial diagnostics and antimicrobial therapeutics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Institute of Biochemistry, Vilnius University, Vilnius LT-08662, Lithuania. eugenijus.simoliunas@bchi.vu.lt.
authors.forename: Eugenijus
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Šimoliūnas
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Institute of Biochemistry, Vilnius University, Vilnius LT-08662, Lithuania. m.vilke@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vilkaitytė
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Institute of Biochemistry, Vilnius University, Vilnius LT-08662, Lithuania. laura.kaliniene@bchi.vu.lt.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kaliniene
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Institute of Biochemistry, Vilnius University, Vilnius LT-08662, Lithuania. aurelija.zajanckauskaite@bchi.vu.lt.
authors.forename: Aurelija
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zajančkauskaitė
authors.affiliation: Proteomics Centre, Institute of Biochemistry, Vilnius University, Vilnius LT-08662, Lithuania. algirdas.kaupinis@gf.vu.lt.
authors.forename: Algirdas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kaupinis
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Plant Viruses, Institute of Botany, Nature Research Centre, Vilnius LT-08412, Lithuania. juozas.staniulis@botanika.lt.
authors.forename: Juozas
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Staniulis
authors.affiliation: Proteomics Centre, Institute of Biochemistry, Vilnius University, Vilnius LT-08662, Lithuania. mindaugas.valius@bchi.vu.lt.
authors.forename: Mindaugas
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Valius
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Institute of Biochemistry, Vilnius University, Vilnius LT-08662, Lithuania. rolandas.meskys@bchi.vu.lt.
authors.forename: Rolandas
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Meškys
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Institute of Biochemistry, Vilnius University, Vilnius LT-08662, Lithuania. lidija.truncaite@bchi.vu.lt.
authors.forename: Lidija
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Truncaitė
mesh_terms: D003090:Coliphages / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology*; D016679:Genome, Viral; D023281:Genomics; D058507:Host Specificity; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000032:analysis; D017900:Myoviridae / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D019081:O Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D020543:Proteome / Q000032:analysis; D040901:Proteomics; D013696:Temperature; D014771:Virion / Q000648:ultrastructure; D053585:Virus Attachment; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D019081:O Antigens; D020543:Proteome
keywords: E. coli lipopolysaccharide; J0101; bacteriophage vB_EcoM_VpaE1 host-range; genus Felix01likevirus; inner core oligosacharide