Genome structure of mycobacteriophage D29: implications for phage evolution.

Mycobacteriophage D29 is a lytic phage that infects both fast and slow-growing mycobacterial species. The complete genome sequence of D29 reveals that it is a close relative of the temperate mycobacteriophage L5, whose sequence has been described previously. The overall organization of the D29 genome is similar to that of L5, although a 3.6 kb deletion removing the repressor gene accounts for the inability of D29 to form lysogens. Comparison of the two genomes shows that they are punctuated by a large number of insertions, deletions, and substitutions of genes, consistent with the genetic mosaicism of lambdoid phages.