Characterization of Phietavirus Henu 2 in the virome of individuals with acute gastroenteritis

In this study, we characterized a new member (named PhiV_005_BRA/2016) of the recently identified phage speciesPhietavirus Henu 2. PhiV_005_BRA/2016 was detected through metagenomic analysis of stool samples of individuals with acute gastroenteritis. PhiV_005_BRA/2016 contains double-stranded linear DNA (dsDNA), it has a genome of 43,513 base pairs (bp), with a high identity score (99%) with phage of the genusPhietavirus, species ofPhietavirus Henu 2. Life style prediction indicated that PhiV_005_BRA/2016 is a lysogenic phage whose the main host is methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Indeed, we found PhiV_005_BRA/2016 partially integrated in the genome of distinct MRSA strains. Our findings highlights the importance of large-scale screening of bacteriophages to better understand the emergence of multi-drug resistant bacterial.
Source: Virus Genes - Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: research