Genetics of Campylobacter phages
Hammerl, J.A.; Jäckel, C.; Hertwig, S.
Berliner und Munchener Tierarztliche Wochenschrift 128(3-4): 148-154
2015
ISSN/ISBN: 0005-9366 PMID: 25876275 Document Number: 680354
The application of virulent (lytic) bacteriophages isa promising tool to reduce the number of Campylobacter along the food chain. However, only little is known aboutthe genetics of Campylobacter phages. To date, the nucleotide sequences of nine virulent Campylobacter phages have been published.The analysis of the sequences indicated that at the nucleotide level, phages of the same group (group II or group III) are closely related, but that similarities between the groups only exist at the protein level. Both groups of phages are distantly related to T4-like phages. The genomes of the studied Campylobacter phages contain numerous genes for homing endonucleases and transposases as well as repetitive sequences. These elements could be important for genomic rearrangements.