Authors

Welkin H. Pope, University of Pittsburgh - Main CampusFollow
Kirk R. Anders, Gonzaga University
Madison Baird, Washington University in St Louis
Charles A. Bowman, University of Pittsburgh - Main CampusFollow
Michelle M. Boyle, University of Pittsburgh - Main Campus
Gregory W. Broussard, University of Pittsburgh - Main Campus
Tiffany Chow, University of California - Los Angeles
Kari L. Clase, Purdue University
Shannon Cooper, University of California - Los Angeles
Kathleen A. Cornely, Providence College
Randall J. DeJong, Calvin College
Veronique A. Delesalle, Gettysburg CollegeFollow
Lisa Deng, Washington University in St Louis
David Dunbar, Cabrini College
Nicholas P. Edgington, Cabrini College
Christina M. Ferreira, University of Pittsburgh - Main Campus
Kathleen Weston Hafer, Washington University in St Louis
Grant A. Hartzog, University of California - Santa Cruz
J. Robert Hatherill, Del Mar College
Lee E. Hughes, University of North Texas
Khristina Ipapo, University of California - Los Angeles
Gregory P. Krukonis, Gettysburg CollegeFollow
Christopher G. Meier, University of Pittsburgh - Main Campus
Denise L. Monti, University of Alabama - Birmingham
Matthew R. Olm, University of Pittsburgh - Main Campus
Shallee T. Page, University of Maine at Machias
Craig L. Peebles, University of Pittsburgh - Main Campus
Claire A. Rinehart, Western Kentucky University
Michael R. Rubin, University of Puerto Rico - Cayey University College
Daniel A. Russell, University of Pittsburgh - Main CampusFollow
Erin R. Sanders, University of California - Los Angeles
Morgan Schoer, Washington University in St Louis
Christopher D. Shaffer, Washington University in St Louis
James Wherley, Washington University in St Louis
Edwin Vazquez, University of Puerto Rico - Cayey University College
Han Yuan, Washington University in St Louis
Daiyuan Zhang, Del Mar College
Steven G. Cresawn, James Madison University
Deborah Jacobs-Sera, University of Pittsburgh - Main CampusFollow
Roger W. Hendrix, University of Pittsburgh - Main CampusFollow
Graham F. Hatfull, University of Pittsburgh - Main CampusFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

3-2014

Department 1

Biology

Abstract

Genomic analysis of a large set of phages infecting the common hostMycobacterium smegmatis mc2155 shows that they span considerable genetic diversity. There are more than 20 distinct types that lack nucleotide similarity with each other, and there is considerable diversity within most of the groups. Three newly isolated temperate mycobacteriophages, Bongo, PegLeg, and Rey, constitute a new group (cluster M), with the closely related phages Bongo and PegLeg forming subcluster M1 and the more distantly related Rey forming subcluster M2. The cluster M mycobacteriophages have siphoviral morphologies with unusually long tails, are homoimmune, and have larger than average genomes (80.2 to 83.7 kbp). They exhibit a variety of features not previously described in other mycobacteriophages, including noncanonical genome architectures and several unusual sets of conserved repeated sequences suggesting novel regulatory systems for both transcription and translation. In addition to containing transfer-messenger RNA and RtcB-like RNA ligase genes, their genomes encode 21 to 24 tRNA genes encompassing complete or nearly complete sets of isotypes. We predict that these tRNAs are used in late lytic growth, likely compensating for the degradation or inadequacy of host tRNAs. They may represent a complete set of tRNAs necessary for late lytic growth, especially when taken together with the apparent lack of codons in the same late genes that correspond to tRNAs that the genomes of the phages do not obviously encode.

DOI

10.1128/JVI.03363-13

Required Publisher's Statement

Original version is available from the publisher at: http://jvi.asm.org/content/88/5/2461.abstract?sid=9d42bfb7-2902-41be-8417-64156889d2af

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