Isolation and Characterization of a Novel Species and a Corresponding Bacteriophage from a Mediterranean Fish Hatchery: Description of Sp. Nov. and Tenacibaculum Phage Larrie

sp. nov., a novel species of the genus was isolated from a commercial fish hatchery in Greece. The novel species is phylogenetically close to and was biochemically and genetically characterized. The genome of . has 3.66 Mbps length, 31.83% GC content and the genomic analysis demonstrated that it harbors a wide enzymatic repertoire suggestive of increased degrading capacity but also several virulence factors including hemolysins, secretion systems, transporters, siderophores, pili and extracellular proteins. Using the novel strain, a virulent bacteriophage designated as Tenacibaculum phage Larrie was isolated and characterized. Larrie is a novel Siphovirus with relatively large genome, 77.5 kbps with 111 ORFs, a GC content of 33.7% and an exclusively lytic lifestyle. The new phage-host system can serve as an efficient model to study microbial interactions in the aquatic environment which contribute to the nutrient cycling.