Genomic analysis of prophages in 44 clinical strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated in Saudi Arabia

Prophages are bacteriophages that integrate their genomes into the bacterial chromosome. This research aimed to analyze and characterize prophages integrated into 44 Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains isolated from tertiary hospitals in Saudi Arabia. A total of 97 intact prophages were identified among...

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Main Authors: Ahlam Alsaadi, Mohammed Imam, Abdulrahman A. Alghamdi, Safia S. Aljedani, Amal Alsari, Haya Aljami, Mohammad Bosaeed
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-04-01
Series:Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2025.1563781/full
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author Ahlam Alsaadi
Mohammed Imam
Abdulrahman A. Alghamdi
Safia S. Aljedani
Amal Alsari
Haya Aljami
Mohammad Bosaeed
Mohammad Bosaeed
author_facet Ahlam Alsaadi
Mohammed Imam
Abdulrahman A. Alghamdi
Safia S. Aljedani
Amal Alsari
Haya Aljami
Mohammad Bosaeed
Mohammad Bosaeed
author_sort Ahlam Alsaadi
collection DOAJ
description Prophages are bacteriophages that integrate their genomes into the bacterial chromosome. This research aimed to analyze and characterize prophages integrated into 44 Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains isolated from tertiary hospitals in Saudi Arabia. A total of 97 intact prophages were identified among clinical strains, with 16 prophages found present in more than one strain simultaneously. All prophages were found to have lengths ranging from 7.7 kb to 74.1 kb, and their GC content was found to be between 49.91% and 64.9%. Our findings show that prophages are present in the majority of the isolated P. aeruginosa strains (41 out of 44). Additionally, several proteins related to viral defense (toxin/antitoxin modules and proteins against restriction-modification enzymes) were identified, supporting the idea that prophages influence bacterial pathogenesis and anti-phage defenses.
format Article
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institution OA Journals
issn 2235-2988
language English
publishDate 2025-04-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology
spelling doaj-art-9e93e7cdc8df4e80a2ba46da1cbcf7bd2025-08-20T02:19:58ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology2235-29882025-04-011510.3389/fcimb.2025.15637811563781Genomic analysis of prophages in 44 clinical strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated in Saudi ArabiaAhlam Alsaadi0Mohammed Imam1Abdulrahman A. Alghamdi2Safia S. Aljedani3Amal Alsari4Haya Aljami5Mohammad Bosaeed6Mohammad Bosaeed7King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Microbiology and Parasitology, Qunfudah College of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Al-Qunfudah, Makkah, Saudi ArabiaKing Abdullah International Medical Research Center, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaKing Abdullah International Medical Research Center, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaKing Abdullah International Medical Research Center, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaKing Abdullah International Medical Research Center, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaKing Abdullah International Medical Research Center, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Medicine, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaProphages are bacteriophages that integrate their genomes into the bacterial chromosome. This research aimed to analyze and characterize prophages integrated into 44 Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains isolated from tertiary hospitals in Saudi Arabia. A total of 97 intact prophages were identified among clinical strains, with 16 prophages found present in more than one strain simultaneously. All prophages were found to have lengths ranging from 7.7 kb to 74.1 kb, and their GC content was found to be between 49.91% and 64.9%. Our findings show that prophages are present in the majority of the isolated P. aeruginosa strains (41 out of 44). Additionally, several proteins related to viral defense (toxin/antitoxin modules and proteins against restriction-modification enzymes) were identified, supporting the idea that prophages influence bacterial pathogenesis and anti-phage defenses.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2025.1563781/fullPseudomonas aeruginosaprophagesmulti-drug resistancebacteriophagesSaudi Arabia
spellingShingle Ahlam Alsaadi
Mohammed Imam
Abdulrahman A. Alghamdi
Safia S. Aljedani
Amal Alsari
Haya Aljami
Mohammad Bosaeed
Mohammad Bosaeed
Genomic analysis of prophages in 44 clinical strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated in Saudi Arabia
Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
prophages
multi-drug resistance
bacteriophages
Saudi Arabia
title Genomic analysis of prophages in 44 clinical strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated in Saudi Arabia
title_full Genomic analysis of prophages in 44 clinical strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated in Saudi Arabia
title_fullStr Genomic analysis of prophages in 44 clinical strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated in Saudi Arabia
title_full_unstemmed Genomic analysis of prophages in 44 clinical strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated in Saudi Arabia
title_short Genomic analysis of prophages in 44 clinical strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated in Saudi Arabia
title_sort genomic analysis of prophages in 44 clinical strains of pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated in saudi arabia
topic Pseudomonas aeruginosa
prophages
multi-drug resistance
bacteriophages
Saudi Arabia
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2025.1563781/full
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