Open AccessIsolation and characterization of a novel phage Xoo-sp2 that infects Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae
Author(s) -
Zhaoxia Dong,
Shaozhen Xing,
Jin Liu,
Xizhe Tang,
Lifang Ruan,
Ming Sun,
Yigang Tong,
Donghai Peng
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of general virology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.55
H-Index - 167
eISSN - 1465-2099
pISSN - 0022-1317
DOI - 10.1099/jgv.0.001133
Subject(s) - xanthomonas oryzae , xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae , biology , genome , lytic cycle , xanthomonas , microbiology and biotechnology , orfs , bacteriophage , virology , stenotrophomonas , genetics , open reading frame , gene , pseudomonas , pathogen , bacteria , escherichia coli , virus , peptide sequence
Bacterial leaf blight (BLB) caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) is a serious bacterial disease in rice-growing regions worldwide. Phage therapy has been proposed as a potential measure to treat bacterial infections. In this study, a novel phage, Xoo-sp2, which infects Xoo was isolated from soil. The characteristics of Xoo-sp2, including the morphology, one-step growth curve and host range, were analysed. The genome of phage Xoo-sp2 was sequenced and annotated. The results demonstrated that Xoo-sp2 is a siphovirus and has a broad lytic spectrum, infecting 9 out of 10 representative Xoo strains. Genome analysis showed that the Xoo-sp2 genome consists of a linear double-stranded DNA molecule of length 60 370 bp. Annotation of the whole genome indicated that Xoo-sp2 encodes 79 putative open reading frames (ORFs). Comparative genomics analysis of Xoo-sp2 showed that it shares significant similarity only with Pseudomonas and Stenotrophomonas phages (with maximum identity reaching 80 % along 69 % of the genome), and thus represents a novel Xanthomonas phage. Xoo-sp2 significantly inhibited Xoo growth in liquid culture. An experiment with potted plants indicated that Xoo-sp2 could efficiently control BLB in living rice. In summary, our work characterized a novel Xanthomonas phage and demonstrated its potential as a prophylactic agent in the control of BLB in rice.