This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Williams, B. J. Articles by Smith, A. L. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Williams, B. J. Articles by Smith, A. L.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Journal of Bacteriology, December 2002, p. 6893-6905, Vol. 184, No. 24
0021-9193/02/$04.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/JB.184.24.6893-6905.2002
Copyright © 2002, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Bacteriophage HP2 of Haemophilus influenzae

Department of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology,¹ Department of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri—Columbia, Columbia, Missouri 65212,² Genome Center, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195³

Received 16 May 2001/ Accepted 1 August 2002

Temperate bacteriophages effect chromosomal evolution of their bacterial hosts, mediating rearrangements and the acquisition of novel genes from other taxa. Although the Haemophilus influenzae genome shows evidence of past phage-mediated lateral transfer, the phages presumed responsible have not been identified. To date, six different H. influenzae phages are known; of these, only the HP1/S2 group, which lyosogenizes exclusively Rd strains (which were originally encapsulated serotype d), is well characterized. Phages in this group are genetically very similar, with a highly conserved set of genes. Because the majority of H. influenzae strains are nonencapsulated (nontypeable), it is important to characterize phages infecting this larger, genetically more diverse group of respiratory pathogens. We have identified and sequenced HP2, a bacteriophage of nontypeable H. influenzae. Although related to the fully sequenced HP1 (and even more so to the partially sequenced S2) and similar in genetic organization, HP2 has a few novel genes and differs in host range; HP2 will not infect or lysogenize Rd strains. Genomic comparisons between HP1/S2 and HP2 suggest recent divergence, with new genes completely replacing old ones at certain loci. Sequence comparisons suggest that H. influenzae phages evolve by recombinational exchange of genes with each other, with cryptic prophages, and with the host chromosome.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Doungudomdacha, S., Volgina, A., DiRienzo, J. M. (2007). Evidence that the cytolethal distending toxin locus was once part of a genomic island in the periodontal pathogen Aggregatibacter (Actinobacillus) actinomycetemcomitans strain Y4. J Med Microbiol 56: 1519-1527 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Campoy, S., Aranda, J., Alvarez, G., Barbe, J., Llagostera, M. (2006). Isolation and Sequencing of a Temperate Transducing Phage for Pasteurella multocida.. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 72: 3154-3160 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Erwin, A. L., Nelson, K. L., Mhlanga-Mutangadura, T., Bonthuis, P. J., Geelhood, J. L., Morlin, G., Unrath, W. C. T., Campos, J., Crook, D. W., Farley, M. M., Henderson, F. W., Jacobs, R. F., Muhlemann, K., Satola, S. W., van Alphen, L., Golomb, M., Smith, A. L. (2005). Characterization of Genetic and Phenotypic Diversity of Invasive Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae. Infect. Immun. 73: 5853-5863 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• McGillivary, G., Tomaras, A. P., Rhodes, E. R., Actis, L. A. (2005). Cloning and Sequencing of a Genomic Island Found in the Brazilian Purpuric Fever Clone of Haemophilus influenzae Biogroup Aegyptius. Infect. Immun. 73: 1927-1938 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Munson, R. S. Jr., Harrison, A., Gillaspy, A., Ray, W. C., Carson, M., Armbruster, D., Gipson, J., Gipson, M., Johnson, L., Lewis, L., Dyer, D. W., Bakaletz, L. O. (2004). Partial Analysis of the Genomes of Two Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae Otitis Media Isolates. Infect. Immun. 72: 3002-3010 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Swords, W. E., Jones, P. A., Apicella, M. A. (2003). Review: The lipo-oligosaccharides of Haemophilus influenzae: an interesting array of characters. Innate Immunity 9: 131-144 [Abstract]