Novel Salmonella phage with lytic specificity towards typhoidal and non-typhoidal was isolated.

Phage vB_SenS_ST1UNAM harbors a lytic cassette conformed with two lysozymes, is equipped with R-M mechanisms and depolymerases.

Salmonella phage vB_SenS_ST1UNAM is a new member of the novel Gomezvirus with no resistance and virulence genes harbored in its genome.

Salmonella phage vB_SenS_ST1UNAM is a potential candidate against the food borne pathogen Salmonella.

In this study, we present the complete annotated genome of a novel Salmonella phage, vB_SenS_ST1UNAM. This phage exhibits lytic activity against several Salmonella enterica serotypes, such as S. Typhi, S. Enteritidis, and S. Typhimurium strains, which are major causes of foodborne illness worldwide. Its genome consists of a linear, double-stranded DNA of 47,877 bp with an average G+C content of 46.6%. A total of 85 coding regions (CDS) were predicted, of which only 43 CDS were functionally assigned. Neither genes involved in the regulation of lysogeny, nor antibiotic resistance genes were identified. This phage harbors a lytic cassette that encodes a type II-holin and a Rz/Rz1-like spanin complex, along with a restriction-modification evasion system and a depolymerase that degrades Salmonella exopolysaccharide. Moreover, the comparative analysis with closely related phage genomes revealed that vB_SenS_ST1UNAM represents a novel genus, for which the genus “Gomezvirus” within the subfamily “ST1UNAM-like” is proposed.

Salmonella

Foodborne pathogen

Phages

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