Comparative Genomics of Cluster O Mycobacteriophages

Authors

Steven G. Cresawn, James Madison University
Nathan S. Reyna, Ouachita Baptist UniversityFollow
Ruth Plymale, Ouachita Baptist UniversityFollow
Welkin H. Pope, University of Pittsburgh
Deborah Jacobs-Sera, University of Pittsburgh
Charles A. Bowman, University of Pittsburgh
Daniel A. Russell, University of Pittsburgh
Rebekah M. Dedrick, University of Pittsburgh
Tamarah Adair, Baylor University
Kirk R. Anders, Gonzaga University
Sarah Ball, The Ohio State University
David Bollivar, Illinois Wesleyan University
Caroline Breitenberger, The Ohio State University
Sandra H. Burnett, Brigham Young University
Kristen Butela, Seton Hill University
Deanna Byrnes, Carthage College
Sarah Carzo, Cabrini University
Kathleen A. Cornely, Providence College
Trevor Cross, Cabrini University
Richard L. Daniels, College of Idaho
David Dunbar, Cabrini University
Ann M. Findley, University of Louisiana at Monroe
Chris R. Gissendanner, University of Louisiana at Monroe
Urszula P. Golebiewska, Queensborough Community College
Grant A. Hartzog, University of California, Santa Cruz
J. Robert Hatherill, Del Mar College
Lee E. Hughes, University of North Texas
Chernoh S. Jalloh, University of KwaZulu-Natal
Carla De Los Santos, University of California, Santa Cruz
Kevin Ekanem, University of California, Santa Cruz
Sphindile L. Khambule, University of KwaZulu-Natal
Rodney A. King, Western Kentucky University
Christina King-Smith, Saint Joseph's University, United States
Karen Klyczek, University of Wisconsin-River Falls
Greg P. Krukonis, Gettysburg College

Department

Biology

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

3-5-2015

Abstract

Mycobacteriophages - viruses of mycobacterial hosts - are genetically diverse but morphologically are all classified in the Caudovirales with double-stranded DNA and tails. We describe here a group of five closely related mycobacteriophages - Corndog, Catdawg, Dylan, Firecracker, and YungJamal - designated as Cluster O with long flexible tails but with unusual prolate capsids. Proteomic analysis of phage Corndog particles, Catdawg particles, and Corndog-infected cells confirms expression of half of the predicted gene products and indicates a non-canonical mechanism for translation of the Corndog tape measure protein. Bioinformatic analysis identifies 8-9 strongly predicted SigA promoters and all five Cluster O genomes contain more than 30 copies of a 17 bp repeat sequence with dyad symmetry located throughout the genomes. Comparison of the Cluster O phages provides insights into phage genome evolution including the processes of gene flux by horizontal genetic exchange.

Publication Title

PLoS ONE

Publisher Statement

Copyright © 2015 the Authors

DOI

10.1371/journal.pone.0118725

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.

Recommended Citation

Cresawn, Steven G., Plymale, Ruth, Reyna, Nathan, et al. "Comparative Genomics of Cluster O Mycobacteriophages," PLoS ONE, 10:3 (2015) Mar 5. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0118725.