Characterization of crAss-like phage isolates highlights Crassvirales genetic heterogeneity and worldwide distribution

María Dolores Ramos-Barbero, Clara Gómez-Gómez, Laura Sala-Comorera, Lorena Rodríguez-Rubio, Sara Morales-Cortes, Elena Mendoza-Barberá, Gloria Vique, Daniel Toribio-Avedillo, Anicet R. Blanch, Elisenda Ballesté, Cristina Garcia-Aljaro and Maite Muniesa ()
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María Dolores Ramos-Barbero: Universitat de Barcelona
Clara Gómez-Gómez: Universitat de Barcelona
Laura Sala-Comorera: Universitat de Barcelona
Lorena Rodríguez-Rubio: Universitat de Barcelona
Sara Morales-Cortes: Universitat de Barcelona
Elena Mendoza-Barberá: Universitat de Barcelona
Gloria Vique: Universitat de Barcelona
Daniel Toribio-Avedillo: Universitat de Barcelona
Anicet R. Blanch: Universitat de Barcelona
Elisenda Ballesté: Universitat de Barcelona
Cristina Garcia-Aljaro: Universitat de Barcelona
Maite Muniesa: Universitat de Barcelona

Nature Communications, 2023, vol. 14, issue 1, 1-14

Abstract: Abstract Crassvirales (crAss-like phages) are an abundant group of human gut-specific bacteriophages discovered in silico. The use of crAss-like phages as human fecal indicators is proposed but the isolation of only seven cultured strains of crAss-like phages to date has greatly hindered their study. Here, we report the isolation and genetic characterization of 25 new crAss-like phages (termed crAssBcn) infecting Bacteroides intestinalis, belonging to the order Crassvirales, genus Kehishuvirus and, based on their genomic variability, classified into six species. CrAssBcn phage genomes are similar to ΦCrAss001 but show genomic and aminoacidic differences when compared to other crAss-like phages of the same family. CrAssBcn phages are detected in fecal metagenomes around the world at a higher frequency than ΦCrAss001. This study increases the known crAss-like phage isolates and their abundance and heterogeneity open the question of what member of the Crassvirales group should be selected as human fecal marker.

Date: 2023
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40098-z

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