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Induction and characterization of lysogenic bacteriophages from S treptococcus iniae
Author(s) -
Wright E.E.,
Elliman J.R.,
Owens L.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
journal of applied microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.889
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1365-2672
pISSN - 1364-5072
DOI - 10.1111/jam.12192
Subject(s) - prophage , siphoviridae , streptococcus iniae , biology , lysogenic cycle , microbiology and biotechnology , lytic cycle , bacteriophage , virology , bacteria , genetics , virus , escherichia coli , gene
Aims To investigate the presence of prophage in S treptococcus iniae , a highly problematic fish pathogen. Methods and Results Cross‐spotting assays and mitomycin C inductions were conducted to screen for prophage in 48 S trep. iniae isolates. Bacteriophages were characterized by plaque assays, transmission electron microscopy and DNA restriction enzyme digestion. Plaque assays confirmed prophages in 14·6% of isolates. Phages v B _ S in S ‐44, v B _ S in S ‐45, v B _ S in S ‐46 and v B _ S in S ‐48 lysed 78·5% of S trep. iniae isolates and displayed distinctive host ranges. Microscopy revealed virions exhibiting long, non‐contractile tails and isometric heads consistent with phages from the family S iphoviridae . Restriction digests revealed genome sizes ranging from 27·5 to 66·3 kbp, with distinct cutting patterns that indicate the presence of related prophages in bacteria isolated from different geographic regions. Conclusions The rate of prophage carriage found is comparably low and induction rates varied between phages. The four characterized S iphoviridae phages have broad host ranges within the S trep. iniae isolates. Significance and Impact of the Study This is the first description and characterization of lysogenic phages from S trep. iniae . These phages are candidates for research and diagnosis of the bacterium and their identification should accelerate the discovery of lytic phages to be trialled against S trep. iniae infections in fish.