Exfoliative toxin A (ETA)-coding temperate bacteriophages are leading contributors to the toxic phenotype of impetigo strains of Staphylococcus aureus. Two distinct eta gene-positive bacteriophages isolated from S. aureus strains which recently caused massive outbreaks of pemphigus neonatorum in Czech maternity hospitals were characterized. The phages, designated ϕB166 and ϕB236, were able to transfer the eta gene into a prophageless S. aureus strain which afterwards converted into an ETA producer. Complete phage genome sequences were determined, and a comparative analysis of five designed genomic regions revealed major variances between them. They differed in the genome size, number of open reading frames, genome architecture, and virion protein patterns. Their high mutual sequence similarity was detected only in the terminal regions of the genome. When compared with the so far described eta phage genomes, noticeable differences were found. Thus, both phages represent two new lineages of as yet not characterized bacteriophages of the Siphoviridae family having impact on pathogenicity of impetigo strains of S. aureus.

• MeSH
• DNA, Viral chemistry   genetics   MeSH
• DNA Viruses genetics   isolation & purification   MeSH
• Disease Outbreaks MeSH
• Exfoliatins genetics   MeSH
• Phylogeny MeSH
• Genome, Viral * MeSH
• Impetigo epidemiology   microbiology   MeSH
• Cross Infection epidemiology   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Molecular Sequence Data MeSH
• Infant, Newborn MeSH
• Open Reading Frames MeSH
• Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length MeSH
• Gene Order MeSH
• Hospitals, Maternity MeSH
• Gene Transfer, Horizontal MeSH
• Prophages classification   genetics   isolation & purification   MeSH
• Sequence Analysis, DNA MeSH
• Sequence Homology MeSH
• Cluster Analysis MeSH
• Staphylococcus Phages classification   genetics   isolation & purification   MeSH
• Staphylococcal Infections epidemiology   microbiology   MeSH
• Staphylococcus aureus isolation & purification   virology   MeSH
• Synteny MeSH
• Transduction, Genetic MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Infant, Newborn MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Geographicals
• Czech Republic epidemiology   MeSH
• Names of Substances
• DNA, Viral MeSH
• Exfoliatins MeSH