Transduction of Phage-Inducible Chromosomal Island by nucleus-forming jumbo Escherichia phage vB_EcoM_Beqaa
The objective of the study was to characterize a novel phage-inducible chromosomal island (PICI) carrying virulence, antimicrobial resistance, and sugar-metabolism genes in Escherichia coli. In the order Enterobacterales, acquired antimicrobial resistance genes spread mainly on conjugative elements such as plasmids and integrative elements. Phage genomes rarely encode antimicrobial resistance genes. Here, a novel large PICI, ca. 71 kb in size, carrying several antimicrobial resistance genes, notably blaCTX-M-55, was identified in Escherichia coli isolates from poultry. Genetic and phenotypic characterization of this novel phage was carried out regarding its horizontal transfer.