Genome Sequence and Characterization of Phage, vB_LcaM_Lbab1 Isolated from Raw Milk.

Only a few phages have so far been characterized. As several strains are part of probiotic formulations, bacteriophage outbreaks targeting these strains can lead to critical losses within the dairy industry. A new phage was isolated from raw milk obtained from a milking yard from the province of Buenos Aires. The phage genome was sequenced, annotated, and analyzed. Morphology was determined by electron microscopy and the host range was established. phage vB_LcaM_Lbab1 is a member of the family and features a host range including and strains. We further analyzed the baseplate proteins and found putative carbohydrate binding modules that are responsible for host recognition in other phages. A new phage was isolated and characterized. The focus was made on its host recognition mechanism, pointing toward the development of future strategies to avoid deleterious infections in the dairy industry.