New Phages Brutus and Scipio: Biology, Evolution, and Phage-Host Interaction.

Two novel virulent phages of the genus infecting , a significant nosocomial pathogen, have been isolated and studied. Phages Brutus and Scipio were able to infect strains belonging to the K116 and K82 capsular types, respectively. The biological properties and genomic organization of the phages were characterized. Comparative genomic, phylogenetic, and pangenomic analyses were performed to investigate the relationship of Brutus and Scipio to other bacterial viruses and to trace the possible origin and evolutionary history of these phages and other representatives of the genus . The investigation of enzymatic activity of the tailspike depolymerase encoded in the genome of phage Scipio, the first reported virus infecting of the K82 capsular type, was performed. The study of new representatives of the genus and mechanisms of action of depolymerases encoded in their genomes expands knowledge about the diversity of viruses within this taxonomic group and strategies of -host bacteria interaction.