Identification and characterization of P2-like bacteriophages of Yersinia pestis

Characterization of Mu-Like Yersinia Phages Exhibiting Temperature Dependent Infection

“…Phages were isolated from the cecum samples of M. himalayana as described previously ( 12 ). Four phages were isolated and selected for further analysis based on their ability to form clear plaques on a lawn of Y. pestis in the double-layer agar assay.…”

“…Phages vB_YpM_3, vB_YpM_5, and vB_YpM_6 were isolated from M. himalayana (female) of 36°56′ in northern latitude and 98°43′ in eastern longitude at 3423.9 m. vB_YpM_23 was isolated from M. himalayana (male) of 36°55′ in northern latitude and 98°44′ in eastern longitude at 3557.2 m. Phage double-layer agar assays were performed using the PAMA technique as described previously ( 35 ). The host range of the phages was tested using two Y. pestis strains, three Y. enterocolitica strains, 21 Y. pseudotuberculosis strains, and 20 non- Yersinia strains as described previously ( 12 ). The in vitro infection assay of phages against Y. pestis at 26°C and 37°C was determined by optical densitometry (OD600) ( 36 ).…”

“…Phages were mixed with periodate or proteinase K treated Y. pestis cells as described previously ( 12 ). The cells after treatment were washed to eliminate the impact of residual proteinase K. Then the suspensions were incubated at room temperature for 5 min and centrifuged at 16,000 g for 3 min.…”

“…Based on the phylogenetic analysis of the genetic sequences, these phages were classified as the Mu-like bacteriophage of Myoviridae . Our previous observation of Y. pestis concerned the discovery of a P2-like Yersinia phage that exhibits “temperature dependent infection” ( 12 ). In this work, these Mu-like Yersinia phages also exhibit such phenotype, it was shown that these phages follow a lytic cycle in warm conditions (37°C), but at colder temperatures (26°C) no lysis occurs.…”

Phylogenetic Relationships and Evolution of the Genus Eganvirus (186-Type) Yersinia pestis Bacteriophages

“…Some of these T4-like phages even appeared to reproduce much more efficiently in E. coli strains than in Y. pestis [13,46]. Many P2-like Yersinia phages, such as L-413C (NC_004745) [38], vB_YpM_22, vB_YpM_46 vB_YpM_50 [47], and HQ103 (MZ420230.2) [20], have been isolated from various environmental backgrounds [48]. The Yersinia phage L-413C was previously reported to lyse E. coli and was once suggested to be an E. coli phage [15,38].…”