First Report of Filamentous Phages Isolated from Tunisian Orchards to Control <i>Erwinia amylovora</i>

Ismahen Akremi; Dominique Holtappels; Wided Brabra; Mouna Jlidi; Adel Hadj Ibrahim; Manel Ben Ali; Kiandro Fortuna; Mohammed Ahmed; Bart Van Meerbeek; Ali Rhouma; Rob Lavigne; Mamdouh Ben Ali; Jeroen Wagemans

doi:10.3390/microorganisms8111762

Microorganisms (Nov 2020)

First Report of Filamentous Phages Isolated from Tunisian Orchards to Control <i>Erwinia amylovora</i>

Ismahen Akremi,
Dominique Holtappels,
Wided Brabra,
Mouna Jlidi,
Adel Hadj Ibrahim,
Manel Ben Ali,
Kiandro Fortuna,
Mohammed Ahmed,
Bart Van Meerbeek,
Ali Rhouma,
Rob Lavigne,
Mamdouh Ben Ali,
Jeroen Wagemans

Affiliations

Ismahen Akremi: Laboratory of Microbial Biotechnology, Enzymatics and Biomolecules (LBMEB), Center of Biotechnology of Sfax (CBS), University of Sfax, Road of Sidi Mansour km 6, P.O. Box 1177, Sfax 3018, Tunisia
Dominique Holtappels: Laboratory of Gene Technology, Department of Biosystems, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 21-Box 2462, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
Wided Brabra: Laboratory of Microbial Biotechnology, Enzymatics and Biomolecules (LBMEB), Center of Biotechnology of Sfax (CBS), University of Sfax, Road of Sidi Mansour km 6, P.O. Box 1177, Sfax 3018, Tunisia
Mouna Jlidi: Laboratory of Microbial Biotechnology, Enzymatics and Biomolecules (LBMEB), Center of Biotechnology of Sfax (CBS), University of Sfax, Road of Sidi Mansour km 6, P.O. Box 1177, Sfax 3018, Tunisia
Adel Hadj Ibrahim: Laboratory of Microbial Biotechnology, Enzymatics and Biomolecules (LBMEB), Center of Biotechnology of Sfax (CBS), University of Sfax, Road of Sidi Mansour km 6, P.O. Box 1177, Sfax 3018, Tunisia
Manel Ben Ali: Laboratory of Microbial Biotechnology, Enzymatics and Biomolecules (LBMEB), Center of Biotechnology of Sfax (CBS), University of Sfax, Road of Sidi Mansour km 6, P.O. Box 1177, Sfax 3018, Tunisia
Kiandro Fortuna: Laboratory of Gene Technology, Department of Biosystems, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 21-Box 2462, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
Mohammed Ahmed: Biomaterials Research Group (BIOMAT), Department of Oral Sciences, KU Leuven, Kapucijnenvoer 7-Block A Box 7001, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
Bart Van Meerbeek: Biomaterials Research Group (BIOMAT), Department of Oral Sciences, KU Leuven, Kapucijnenvoer 7-Block A Box 7001, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
Ali Rhouma: Laboratory of Integrated Olive Production, Olive Tree Institute, BP208 Marhajene City, Tunis 1082, Tunisia
Rob Lavigne: Laboratory of Gene Technology, Department of Biosystems, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 21-Box 2462, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
Mamdouh Ben Ali: Laboratory of Microbial Biotechnology, Enzymatics and Biomolecules (LBMEB), Center of Biotechnology of Sfax (CBS), University of Sfax, Road of Sidi Mansour km 6, P.O. Box 1177, Sfax 3018, Tunisia
Jeroen Wagemans: Laboratory of Gene Technology, Department of Biosystems, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 21-Box 2462, 3001 Leuven, Belgium

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms8111762
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 8, no. 11
p. 1762

Abstract

Read online

Newly discovered Erwinia amylovora phages PEar1, PEar2, PEar4 and PEar6 were isolated from three different orchards in North Tunisia to study their potential as biocontrol agents. Illumina sequencing revealed that the PEar viruses carry a single-strand DNA genome between 6608 and 6801 nucleotides and belong to the Inoviridae, making them the first described filamentous phages of E. amylovora. Interestingly, phage-infected cells show a decreased swimming and swarming motility and a cocktail of the four phages can significantly reduce infection of E. amylovora in a pear bioassay, potentially making them suitable candidates for phage biocontrol.

Published in Microorganisms

ISSN: 2076-2607 (Online)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Science: Biology (General)
Website: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/microorganisms

About the journal

Abstract

Keywords