Genome Analysis of an Enterococcal Prophage, Entfac.MY

Abstract

Background: Bacteriophages are bacterial parasites. Unlike lytic bacteriophages, lysogenic bacteriophages do not multiply immediately after entering the host cells and may integrate their genomes into the bacterial genomes as prophages. Prophages can include various phenotypic and genotypic effects on the host bacteria. Enterococcus spp. are Gram-positive bacteria that cause infections in humans and animals. In recent decades, these bacteria have become resistant to various antimicrobials, including vancomycin. The aim of this study was to analyze genome of an enterococcal prophage.
 Methods: In this study, Enterococcus faecium EntfacYE was isolated from biological samples and its genome was analyzed using next-generation sequencing method.
 Results: Overall, 254 prophage genes were identified in the bacterial genome. The prophage included 39 housekeeping, 41 replication and regulation, 80 structural and packaging, and 48 lysis genes. Moreover, 46 genes with unknown functions were identified. All genes were annotated in DNA Data Bank of Japan.
 Conclusion: In general, most prophage genes were linked to packaging and structure (31.5%) gene group. However, genes with unknown functions included a high proportion (18.11%), which indicated necessity of further analyses. Genomic analysis of the prophages can be effective in better understanding of their roles in development of bacterial resistance to antibiotics. Moreover, identification and study of prophages can help researchers develop genetic engineering tools and novel infection therapies.

Structural and functional features of a broad-spectrum prophage-encoded enzybiotic from Enterococcus faecium

“…Prophages are a less investigated source of new functional endolysin genes and therefore hold significant potential for further exploitation 26 , 27 . Prophage sequences in E. faecium genomes have been recently characterised 28 , 29 . The gene of Ef Ami1 consists of 975-bp and encodes for a protein of 324 amino acids with predicted molecular mass 36,290 Da and isoelectric point 6.31.…”

“…Prophages, therefore, have attracted significant attention in recent years from a biotechnology point of view 26 , 27 . Prophage sequences of Enterococcus faecium genomes have recently been characterized 28 , 29 .…”