Genomic Analysis of the Recent Viral Isolate vB_BthP-Goe4 Reveals Increased Diversity of φ29-Like Phages

• Main Authors: Tobias Schilling, Michael Hoppert, Robert Hertel
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2018-11-01
• Series: Viruses
• Subjects: <i>Bacillus</i>; thuringiensis; vB_BthP-Goe4; Goe4; Picovirinae; Phi29virus; <i>Salasvirus</i>; Luci; bacteriophage; phage; pRNA
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/10/11/624

We present the recently isolated virus vB_BthP-Goe4 infecting <i>Bacillus thuringiensis</i> HD1. Morphological investigation via transmission electron microscopy revealed key characteristics of the genus <i>Phi29virus</i>, but with an elongated head resulting in larger virion particles of approximately 50 nm width and 120 nm height. Genome sequencing and analysis resulted in a linear phage chromosome of approximately 26 kb, harbouring 40 protein-encoding genes and a packaging RNA. Sequence comparison confirmed the relation to the <i>Phi29virus</i> genus and genomes of other related strains. A global average nucleotide identity analysis of all identified &#966;29-like viruses revealed the formation of several new groups previously not observed. The largest group includes Goe4 and may significantly expand the genus <i>Phi29virus</i> (<i>Salasvirus</i>) or the <i>Picovirinae</i> subfamily.