| Bacteriophages are non-cellular particles that specifically infect bacteria. The lytic or lysogenic development of the infection promotes nutrient flow, control of microbial communities and genetic transference. Biotechnologically, bacteriophages have been use as molecular tools through transduccional processes. Rhodobacter sphaeroides is a ubiquitous anoxyphototroph purple non-sulfur bacterium with a versatile metabolism and bioremediation capabilities. To date, description of R. sphaeroides new bacteriophages and genetic studies using bacteriophages are non-existent. The main purpose of this research is to isolate and characterize R. sphaeroides bacteriophages from island water bodies at southwestern region of Puerto Rico, and test their potentials as molecular tools. Five lytic bacteriophages were isolated at Ponce, Lajas and Cabo Rojo. The phages were characterized morphologically using the Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM), and molecularly by Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) analysis. Restriction fragments of one of the phages were cloned and after PCR amplification, the amplicons were sequenced and in silico analyzed was performed. All phages isolated are specific to R. sphaeroides 7001, and only one (B phage) infect R. sphaeroides 2.4.1. Transmission electron microscopy images show phages with isometric capsid and tail of variable sizes. Organic solvent susceptibility test demonstrated that these virions do no present lipid envelopes, and the ADN restriction analysis indicated that all bacteriophages are different among them selves, and from those from R. sphaeroides bacteriophages reported in the literature. Transductional Potentials test were performed using the B phage and a genetic marker donor strain R. sphaeroides CycA1. The preliminary transductional test shows that B phage does not transfer the genetic marker under the conditions tested. This is the first report of R. sphaeroides bacteriophages in the Caribbean. Description of this new bacteriophage will bring opportunities and new research involving infection and replication mechanisms as well as variable strategies to test transduction capabilities. |
