title: Genomic characterization and comparison of seven Myoviridae bacteriophage infecting Bacillus thuringiensis.
abstract: Bacillus thuringiensis Kurstaki, a bacterium that is a source of biopesticides and a safe simulant for pathogenic Bacillus species, was used to isolate seven unique bacteriophages. The phage genomes were sequenced and ranged in size from 158,100 to 163,019 bp encoding 290-299 genes, and the GC content of ~38% was similar to that of the host bacterium. All phages had terminal repeats 2-3 kb long. Three of the phages encoded tRNAs and three contained a self-splicing intron in the DNA polymerase gene. They were categorized as a single cluster (>60% nucleotide conservation) containing three subclusters (>80% nucleotide conservation), supported by genomic synteny and phylogenetic analysis. Considering the published genomes of phages that infect the genus Bacillus and noting the ability of many of the Bacillus cereus group phages to infect multiple species, a clustering system based on gene content is proposed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA, USA.
authors.forename: Amber Brooke
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Sauder
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA, USA. Electronic address: quinnmr@dukes.jmu.edu.
authors.forename: McKenzie Rea
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Quinn
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA, USA. Electronic address: brouilak@dukes.jmu.edu.
authors.forename: Alexis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brouillette
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD, USA. Electronic address: scaruso@umbc.edu.
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Caruso
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA, USA. Electronic address: cresawsg@jmu.edu.
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cresawn
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD, USA. Electronic address: erill@umbc.edu.
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Erill
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Mary Washington, Fredericksburg, VA, USA. Electronic address: llewis@umw.edu.
authors.forename: Lynn
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Mary Washington, Fredericksburg, VA, USA. Electronic address: kloesser@umw.edu.
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Loesser-Casey
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA, USA. Electronic address: patemt@dukes.jmu.edu.
authors.forename: Morgan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pate
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrated Sciences & Technology, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA, USA. Electronic address: scottcm@jmu.edu.
authors.forename: Crystal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrated Sciences & Technology, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA, USA. Electronic address: stockwsb@jmu.edu.
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stockwell
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrated Sciences & Technology, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA, USA. Electronic address: templelm@jmu.edu.
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Temple
mesh_terms: D017103:Bacillus Phages / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology; D001413:Bacillus thuringiensis / Q000821:virology*; D059646:Genome Size; D016679:Genome, Viral; D023281:Genomics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D017900:Myoviridae / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology; D010802:Phylogeny; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D014764:Viral Proteins
keywords: Bacillus thuringiensis; Bacteriophages; Bioinformatics; Genomics; Phages; Sequencing