Escherichia phage sp. Genome sequencing and assembly. Escherichia phage sp.

As a natural parasite of bacteria, bacteriophages have been proposed as a possible adjuvant to treat bacterial infections due to their immunomodulatory properties. Nevertheless, phages can also potentiate the bacterial fitness by mediating horizontal gene transfer of genes that increase the bacterial pathogenicity e.g., virulence and resistance. Either way, the presence and taxonomic diversity of coliphages and their specific bacterial host in the human body could bring new insight on the dynamics of this close association. In this work, 51 E.coli-infecting bacteriophages isolated from blood, urine and sputum of 14 patients were characterized. Forty-two phages isolated from different samples belong to the Tunavirinae subfamily and seem to be a putative new species. Other five phages belong to the Tequintavirus genus and four others to the Peduovirus genus, family Myoviridae.