Characterization and genome sequencing of phage Abp1, a new phiKMV-like virus infecting multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii.

While screening for alternative antibiotics against multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii, we isolated a virulent A. baumannii bacteriophage Abp1. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the phage had an icosahedral head with a short tail and should be classified as a member of the Podoviridae family. SDS-PAGE showed that Abp1 contained at least one major and nine minor proteins. In a single-step growth test, we demonstrated that Abp1 had a latent period of 10 min and a burst size of 350. Abp1 also had a relatively narrow host range. The entire genome was sequenced, and the final assembly yielded a 42,185 bp, linear, double-stranded DNA molecule with a G+C content of 39.15 % and containing 54 putative genes. Among these genes, 26 were functionally known, leaving 28 unknown putative genes. Abp1 is a new member of the phiKMV-like virus subgroup of the T7 group; its genome sequence is very similar to that of the A. baumannii phage phiAB1.