New phylogenetically distinct cyanophages found in the coastal Yellow Sea by Qingdao

Abstract

Genetic composition of natural cyanophage population in the coastal Yellow Sea area near Qingdao was investigated using the g20 gene as a genetic marker. Amplifcation of this gene by PCR yielded sequences, which were cloned and subjected to the restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis. Sixteen clones exhibiting diferent RFLP patterns were sequenced and analyzed. Te sequence analysis indicated a diversity of cyanophages covering sixteen g20 genotypes. Teir phylogenetic analysis revealed two distinct phylogenetic groups. One group (7clones) localized with the cyanophage P77 in the cluster III described before. Second group (9 clones) did not localize with any of the cyanophage described so far and was designated as a novel W cluster. Te study revealed a genetic diversity of cyanophages in the coastal Yellow Sea and confrmed the genetic diferences between cyanophage populations in Western and Eastern Pacifc.