Abstract
Streptomyces are well-known antibiotic producers, also characterized by a complex morphological differentiation. Streptomyces, like all bacteria, are confronted with the constant threat of phage predation, which in turn shapes bacterial evolution. However, despite significant sequencing efforts recently, relatively few phages infecting Streptomyces have been characterized compared to other genera. Here, we present the isolation and characterization of five novel Streptomyces phages. All five phages belong to the Siphoviridae family, based on their morphology as determined by transmission electron microscopy. Genome sequencing and life style predictions suggested that four of them were temperate phages, while one had a lytic lifestyle. Moreover, one of the newly sequenced phages shows very little homology to already described phages, highlighting the still largely untapped viral diversity. Altogether, this study expands the number of characterized phages of Streptomyces and sheds light on phage evolution and phage-host dynamics in Streptomyces.
Highlights
Streptomyces is a genus of Gram-positive bacteria belonging to the order of Actinobacteria that exhibit a high GC-content
S. venezuelae was grown in liquid Glucose Yeast Malt extract (GYM) medium, while S. coelicolor was grown in liquid Yeast Extract Malt Extract (YEME)
We report the isolation and characterization of five novel Streptomyces phages
Summary
Streptomyces is a genus of Gram-positive bacteria belonging to the order of Actinobacteria that exhibit a high GC-content (on average about 73 mol% G + C). Streptomyces are prolific producers of natural products with a wide range of biological activities This repertoire of bioactive molecules has been harnessed for medical and agricultural purposes, as for example 2/3 of known antibiotics of microbial origin are produced by Streptomyces [1,2,3]. Another distinctive feature of Streptomyces is their complex developmental cycle. Unlike most bacteria—that divide by binary fission, Streptomyces development is instead centered on the formation of spores. Germinating spores first form a network of interconnected cells, called vegetative mycelium
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