Riding the wave of genomics to investigate aquatic coliphage diversity and activity

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DOI

  • Slawomir Michniewski
    The University of Warwick
  • Tamsin Redgwell
    The University of Warwick
  • Aurelija Grigonyte
    The University of Warwick
  • Branko Rihtman
    The University of Warwick
  • Maria Aguilo-Ferretjans
    The University of Warwick
  • Joseph Christie-Oleza
    The University of Warwick
  • Eleanor Jameson
    School of Health and Life Sciences , Teesside University , Middlesbrough , UKThe University of Warwick
  • David J Scanlan
    The University of Warwick
  • Andrew D Millard
    Ulster University

Bacteriophages infecting Escherichia coli (coliphages) have been used as a proxy for faecal matter and water quality from a variety of environments. However, the diversity of coliphages that is present in seawater remains largely unknown, with previous studies largely focusing on morphological diversity. Here, we isolated and characterized coliphages from three coastal locations in the United Kingdom and Poland. Comparative genomics and phylogenetic analysis of phage isolates facilitated the identification of putative new species within the genera Rb69virus and T5virus and a putative new genus within the subfamily Tunavirinae. Furthermore, genomic and proteomic analysis combined with host range analysis allowed the identification of a putative tail fibre that is likely responsible for the observed differences in host range of phages vB_Eco_mar003J3 and vB_Eco_mar004NP2.

Keywords

  • Coliphages/classification, Escherichia coli/genetics, Genome, Viral, Genomics, Host Specificity, Myoviridae/classification, Phylogeny, Poland, Proteomics, Seawater/virology, Siphoviridae/classification, United Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2112-2128
Number of pages17
JournalEnvironmental Microbiology
Volume21
Issue number6
Early online date18 Mar 2019
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jun 2019
Externally publishedYes
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