Sequencing data and genomes of the phages released by Bacillus cereus group strains

Phages are key drivers of microbial community structure and global ecological processes. Yet, the genomic features and mechanisms sustaining active prophages remain poorly understood. In this study, we combined large-scale prophage induction with targeted sequencing analyses to identify 154 active prophage genomes in Bacillus cereus group strains. Functional profiling showed that most active prophages carry seven essential functional modules, except for a subset with around 15 kbp genomes. Comparisons with cryptic prophages indicated that inactivation can result from gene loss or transposon-mediated insertions, whereas some cryptic prophages regain activity by acquiring new segments. These findings provide new insights into active prophage biology and their relationship with cryptic prophages, deepening our understanding of temperate phages.