The Genome of PhiAsp2, an Actinoplanes Infecting Phage

The first genome of a virus infecting a representative of the eubacterial genus Actinoplanes is presented. Phage phiAsp2 has a circularly permutated chromosome that consists of 58,638 bp; its G/C-bias of 70.39% resembles the hosts G + C-content (71-73% within the genus). A total of 76 open reading frames (orfs) were identified, the majority of which (63) displaying equal transcriptional orientations. Functional gene clustering is obvious as orfs coding for head and tail proteins are located close to the center in the first half of the genome and putative DNA-modifying enzymes are encoded by centrally located genes; DNA repair and recombination functions are situated in the remaining part of the genome, adjacent to a small gene cluster, the predicted proteins of which are involved in DNA packaging. Close to the left terminus there are two small regions (approximately 4.5 kb each, separated by 2.8 kb) which are homologous to the recently sequenced mycobacteriophage rosebush, however, the unique overall structure of the phiAsp2-genome does not bear resemblance to any other known viral genome. The nucleotide sequence was deposited in GenBank with the accession no. AY576796.