Characterization of novel bacteriophage phiC119 capable of lysing multidrug-resistant Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O157:H7.
BACKGROUND
Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is one of the most common and widely distributed foodborne pathogens that has been frequently implicated in gastrointestinal and urinary tract infections. Moreover, high rates of multiple antibiotic-resistant E. coli strains have been reported worldwide. Due to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains, bacteriophages are considered an attractive alternative to biocontrol pathogenic bacteria. Characterization is a preliminary step towards designing a phage for biocontrol.


METHODS
In this study, we describe the characterization of a bacteriophage designated phiC119, which can infect and lyse several multidrug-resistant STEC strains and some Salmonella strains. The phage genome was screened to detect the stx-genes using PCR, morphological analysis, host range was determined, and genome sequencing were carried out, as well as an analysis of the cohesive ends and identification of the type of genetic material through enzymatic digestion of the genome.


RESULTS
Analysis of the bacteriophage particles by transmission electron microscopy showed that it had an icosahedral head and a long tail, characteristic of the family Siphoviridae. The phage exhibits broad host range against multidrug-resistant and highly virulent E. coli isolates. One-step growth experiments revealed that the phiC119 phage presented a large burst size (210 PFU/cell) and a latent period of 20 min. Based on genomic analysis, the phage contains a linear double-stranded DNA genome with a size of 47,319 bp. The phage encodes 75 putative proteins, but lysogeny and virulence genes were not found in the phiC119 genome.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that phage phiC119 may be a good biological control agent. However, further studies are required to ensure its control of STEC and to confirm the safety of phage use.
Laboratorio de Biología Molecular y Genómica Funcional, Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, A. C., Culiacán, Sinaloa, México; Laboratorio de Genética, Instituto de Investigación Lightbourn, A. C., Cd. Jiménez, Chihuahua, México.
Luis
L
Amarillas
Inocuidad Alimentaria, Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, A. C. , Culiacán, Sinaloa , México.
Cristóbal
C
Chaidez
Departamento de Infectómica y Patogénesis Molecular, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados, Instituto Politécnico Nacional , Ciudad de México , México.
Arturo
A
González-Robles
Laboratorio de Biología Molecular de la Unidad de Servicios Analíticos y Metrológicos, Centro de Investigación y Asistencia en Tecnología y Diseño del Estado de Jalisco A. C. , Guadalajara, Jalisco , México.
Yadira
Y
Lugo-Melchor
Laboratorio de Biología Molecular y Genómica Funcional, Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, A. C. , Culiacán, Sinaloa , México.
Josefina
J
León-Félix
Biocontrol applications; Genome analysis; Phage group relationships; Phage phiC119; Shiga toxin; Siphoviridae
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