Abstract
BACKGROUND: Bacteriophages exhibit great diversity and are classically divided into lytic and temperate lifestyles. Commonly, bioinformatics is used to predict the temperate lifestyle. As the nosocomial pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa is common in freshwater, this biome represents an ideal location for the discovery of Pseudomonas phages. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We characterized a genetically distinct species of Pseudomonas phage using next-generation sequencing and conventional microbiological methods. We characterized its lifestyle by purifying infected colonies and identifying persistent phage production. RESULTS: Genetics revealed a phage of a novel genus. Characterization showed a narrow host range and bioinformatics suggested a lytic lifestyle. Experimental data showed lysogeny and analysis was consistent with an episomal lifestyle instead of the classic model of integration into the host genome. CONCLUSIONS: We identify and characterize a new Pseudomonas phage, show potential limitations of bioinformatic predictions of lifestyle, and further contribute to the diversity of the phage tree of life.