Characterization of Two New Shiga Toxin-Producing <i>Escherichia coli</i> O103-Infecting Phages Isolated from an Organic Farm
Shiga toxin-producing <i>Escherichia coli</i> (STEC) O103 strains have been recently attributed to various foodborne outbreaks in the United States. Due to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains, lytic phages are considered as alternative biocontrol agents. This study was to biolo...
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MDPI AG
2021-07-01
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| Series: | Microorganisms |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/9/7/1527 |
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| author | Yujie Zhang Yen-Te Liao Alexandra Salvador Valerie M. Lavenburg Vivian C. H. Wu |
| author_facet | Yujie Zhang Yen-Te Liao Alexandra Salvador Valerie M. Lavenburg Vivian C. H. Wu |
| author_sort | Yujie Zhang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Shiga toxin-producing <i>Escherichia coli</i> (STEC) O103 strains have been recently attributed to various foodborne outbreaks in the United States. Due to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains, lytic phages are considered as alternative biocontrol agents. This study was to biologically and genomically characterize two STEC O103-infecting bacteriophages, vB_EcoP-Ro103C3lw (or Ro103C3lw) and vB_EcoM-Pr103Blw (or Pr103Blw), isolated from an organic farm. Based on genomic and morphological analyses, phages Ro103C3lw and Pr103Blw belonged to <i>Autographiviridae</i> and <i>Myoviridae</i> families, respectively. Ro103C3lw contained a 39,389-bp double-stranded DNA and encoded a unique tail fiber with depolymerase activity, resulting in huge plaques. Pr103Blw had an 88,421-bp double-stranded DNA with 26 predicted tRNAs associated with the enhancement of the phage fitness. Within each phage genome, no virulence, antibiotic-resistant, and lysogenic genes were detected. Additionally, Ro103C3lw had a short latent period (2 min) and a narrow host range, infecting only STEC O103 strains. By contrast, Pr103Blw had a large burst size (152 PFU/CFU) and a broad host range against STEC O103, O26, O111, O157:H7, and <i>Salmonella</i> Javiana strains. Furthermore, both phages showed strong antimicrobial activities against STEC O103:H2 strains. The findings provide valuable insight into these two phages’ genomic features with the potential antimicrobial activities against STEC O103. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T09:31:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bf8f53884ef1443c8e3e1538e9d3821b |
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| issn | 2076-2607 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T09:31:46Z |
| publishDate | 2021-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Microorganisms |
| spelling | doaj.art-bf8f53884ef1443c8e3e1538e9d3821b2023-11-22T04:27:07ZengMDPI AGMicroorganisms2076-26072021-07-0197152710.3390/microorganisms9071527Characterization of Two New Shiga Toxin-Producing <i>Escherichia coli</i> O103-Infecting Phages Isolated from an Organic FarmYujie Zhang0Yen-Te Liao1Alexandra Salvador2Valerie M. Lavenburg3Vivian C. H. Wu4Produce Safety and Microbiology Research Unit, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Western Regional Research Center, Albany, CA 94710, USAProduce Safety and Microbiology Research Unit, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Western Regional Research Center, Albany, CA 94710, USAProduce Safety and Microbiology Research Unit, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Western Regional Research Center, Albany, CA 94710, USAProduce Safety and Microbiology Research Unit, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Western Regional Research Center, Albany, CA 94710, USAProduce Safety and Microbiology Research Unit, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Western Regional Research Center, Albany, CA 94710, USAShiga toxin-producing <i>Escherichia coli</i> (STEC) O103 strains have been recently attributed to various foodborne outbreaks in the United States. Due to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains, lytic phages are considered as alternative biocontrol agents. This study was to biologically and genomically characterize two STEC O103-infecting bacteriophages, vB_EcoP-Ro103C3lw (or Ro103C3lw) and vB_EcoM-Pr103Blw (or Pr103Blw), isolated from an organic farm. Based on genomic and morphological analyses, phages Ro103C3lw and Pr103Blw belonged to <i>Autographiviridae</i> and <i>Myoviridae</i> families, respectively. Ro103C3lw contained a 39,389-bp double-stranded DNA and encoded a unique tail fiber with depolymerase activity, resulting in huge plaques. Pr103Blw had an 88,421-bp double-stranded DNA with 26 predicted tRNAs associated with the enhancement of the phage fitness. Within each phage genome, no virulence, antibiotic-resistant, and lysogenic genes were detected. Additionally, Ro103C3lw had a short latent period (2 min) and a narrow host range, infecting only STEC O103 strains. By contrast, Pr103Blw had a large burst size (152 PFU/CFU) and a broad host range against STEC O103, O26, O111, O157:H7, and <i>Salmonella</i> Javiana strains. Furthermore, both phages showed strong antimicrobial activities against STEC O103:H2 strains. The findings provide valuable insight into these two phages’ genomic features with the potential antimicrobial activities against STEC O103.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/9/7/1527STEC O103 strainSTEC-specific bacteriophagebiocontrol agentswhole-genome sequencing |
| spellingShingle | Yujie Zhang Yen-Te Liao Alexandra Salvador Valerie M. Lavenburg Vivian C. H. Wu Characterization of Two New Shiga Toxin-Producing <i>Escherichia coli</i> O103-Infecting Phages Isolated from an Organic Farm Microorganisms STEC O103 strain STEC-specific bacteriophage biocontrol agents whole-genome sequencing |
| title | Characterization of Two New Shiga Toxin-Producing <i>Escherichia coli</i> O103-Infecting Phages Isolated from an Organic Farm |
| title_full | Characterization of Two New Shiga Toxin-Producing <i>Escherichia coli</i> O103-Infecting Phages Isolated from an Organic Farm |
| title_fullStr | Characterization of Two New Shiga Toxin-Producing <i>Escherichia coli</i> O103-Infecting Phages Isolated from an Organic Farm |
| title_full_unstemmed | Characterization of Two New Shiga Toxin-Producing <i>Escherichia coli</i> O103-Infecting Phages Isolated from an Organic Farm |
| title_short | Characterization of Two New Shiga Toxin-Producing <i>Escherichia coli</i> O103-Infecting Phages Isolated from an Organic Farm |
| title_sort | characterization of two new shiga toxin producing i escherichia coli i o103 infecting phages isolated from an organic farm |
| topic | STEC O103 strain STEC-specific bacteriophage biocontrol agents whole-genome sequencing |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/9/7/1527 |
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