Characterization of pantoea spp. infecting bacteriophages

Bacteria of the genus Pantoea are among the most abundant in the philosphere and are known not only as vital epiphytes or endophytes but also as pottentially being involved in various insect, animal or plant diseases. Bacteriophages infecting these bacteria have so far been extremely poorly studied. In order to at least partially change the situation, studies of Pantoea infecting bacteriophages vB_PagS_MED16 (MED16), vB_PagS_AAS23 (AAS23), vB_PagS_AAS21 (AAS21) and vB_PagM_LIET2 (LIET2) were performed. The study revealed that bacteriophages MED16, AAS23, and AAS21 are syphoviruses with a regular icosahedral head and a flexible non-contractile tail, whereas bacteriophage LIET2 is a myovirus with an elongated icosahedral head and a rigid, contractile tail. It was found that bacteriophages MED16, AAS23, AAS21, and LIET2 are viruses adapted to develop at low temperatures. the Research showed that plaques formed by bacteriophages MED16 and AAS23 consist of a transparent center and opaque halo (peripheral) zone, indicating the potential depolymerase activity. Bacteriophages MED16, AAS23, LIET2 and AAS21 are viruses with a quite different host range: MED16 and AAS23 infecting one P. agglomerans isolate (BSL and AUR, respectively), LIET2 - two (BSL and DDM), and AAS21 - four (SER, AUR, BSL, and DSMZ 3493). Bacteriophages MED16, AAS23, LIET2 and AAS21 are not sensitive to chloroform. Bacteriophage AAS21 is the most sensitive to high temperature and LIET2 is the least sensitive. The genomic DNAs of bacteriophages AAS23, MED16 and LIET2 are modified (potentially methylated) and the genomic DNA of AAS21 is unmodified