Genomic and Proteomic Characterizations of , a Novel Lytic Phage Infecting Multidrug-Resistant Spp. and C

Shigellosis is a public health threat in developed as well as developing countries like "India." While antibiotic therapy is the mainstay of treatment for shigellosis, current emergence of multidrug-resistant strains of spp. has posed the problem more challenging. Lytic bacteriophages which destroy antibiotic resistant spp. have great potential in this context and hence their identification and detailed characterization is necessary. In this study we presented the isolation and a detailed characterization of a novel bacteriophage , which shows potent lytic activity against multidrug-resistant isolates of , , obtained from clinical specimens from shigellosis patients. It is also active against C. The purified phage is lytic in nature, exhibited absorption within 5-10 min, a latent period of 5-20 min and burst size of ∼28 to ∼146 PFU/cell. The isolated phage shows stability in a broad pH range and survives an hour at 50°C. Genome sequencing and phylogenetic analyses showed that is a novel bacteriophage, which is very closely related to T1-like phages (89.59% identity with Escherichia virus T1). analysis indicates that genome consists of double stranded linear DNA of 50,403 bp (GC content of 45.2%) encoding 82 potential coding sequences, several potential promoters and transcriptional terminators. Under electron microscopy, shows morphology characteristics of the family with an isometric head (61 nm) and a non-contractile tail (155 nm). This is most likely the first report of a lytic bacteriophage that is active against three of the most virulent multidrug-resistant species and therefore might have a potential role in phage therapy of patients infected with these organisms.