Complete Genome Sequence of Vibrio vulnificus Bacteriophage SSP002

Vibrio vulnificus phages are abundant in coastal marine environments, shellfish, clams, and oysters. SSP002, a V. vulnificus-specific bacteriophage, was isolated from oysters from the west coast of South Korea. In this study, the complete genome of SSP002 was sequenced and analyzed for the first time among the V. vulnificus-specific bacteriophages. The marine bacterium Vibrio vulnificus is the causative agent offood-borne diseases such as gastroenteritis and (possibly life-threatening) septicemia in individuals with underlying predispos-ing conditions (5). The Centers for Disease Control and Preven-tion has estimated that about 100 persons in the United States per year are infected with V. vulnificus and that approximately half of them die (10). Recently, the application of bacteriophages has come to be considered one of the most promising therapeutic methods for bacterial infection, owing to the increase in antibiotic resistance among bacteria (2). Although several V. vulnificus phages have been isolated and characterized previously (4, 6), their complete genome sequences have not yet been reported. In this study, V. vulnificus phag