Rapid and Specific Detection of Using Phage Protein-Based Lateral Flow Assays.

Rapid and precise diagnostic techniques are essential for identifying foodborne pathogens, including (), which poses significant challenges to food safety. Traditional detection methods are limited by long incubation times and high costs. In this context, gold nanoparticle (AuNP)-based lateral flow assays (LFAs) are emerging as valuable tools for rapid screening.

Meeting Report of the Second Symposium of the Belgian Society for Viruses of Microbes and Launch of the Phage Valley.

The second symposium of the Belgian Society for Viruses of Microbes (BSVoM) took place on 8 September 2023 at the University of Liège with 141 participants from 10 countries. The meeting program covered three thematic sessions opened by international keynote speakers: two sessions were devoted to "Fundamental research in phage ecology and biology" and the third one to the "Present and future applications of phages". During this one day symposium, four invited keynote lectures, nine selected talks and eight student pitches were given along with thirty presented posters.

Foundation of the Belgian Society for Viruses of Microbes and Meeting Report of Its Inaugural Symposium.

The Belgian Society for Viruses of Microbes (BSVoM) was founded on 9 June 2022 to capture and enhance the collaborative spirit among the expanding community of microbial virus researchers in Belgium. The sixteen founders are affiliated to fourteen different research entities across academia, industry and government. Its inaugural symposium was held on 23 September 2022 in the Thermotechnical Institute at KU Leuven.

Abolishment of morphology-based taxa and change to binomial species names: 2022 taxonomy update of the ICTV bacterial viruses subcommittee.

This article summarises the activities of the Bacterial Viruses Subcommittee of the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses for the period of March 2021-March 2022. We provide an overview of the new taxa proposed in 2021, approved by the Executive Committee, and ratified by vote in 2022. Significant changes to the taxonomy of bacterial viruses were introduced: the paraphyletic morphological families Podoviridae, Siphoviridae, and Myoviridae as well as the order Caudovirales were abolished, and a binomial system of nomenclature for species was established.

Conjugation across and kin: A review.

Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is a major driving force in shaping bacterial communities. Key elements responsible for HGT are conjugation-like events and transmissible plasmids. Conjugative plasmids can promote their own transfer as well as that of co-resident plasmids.

Genomics: Chromosomal Diversity and Plasmidome Versatility.

is the thermotolerant representative of the group. This group, also known as , comprises both beneficial and pathogenic members and includes psychrotolerant and thermotolerant species. was originally recovered from a fatal outbreak in France in 1998.

Bacterial Viruses Subcommittee and Archaeal Viruses Subcommittee of the ICTV: update of taxonomy changes in 2021.

In this article, we - the Bacterial Viruses Subcommittee and the Archaeal Viruses Subcommittee of the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) - summarise the results of our activities for the period March 2020 - March 2021. We report the division of the former Bacterial and Archaeal Viruses Subcommittee in two separate Subcommittees, welcome new members, a new Subcommittee Chair and Vice Chair, and give an overview of the new taxa that were proposed in 2020, approved by the Executive Committee and ratified by vote in 2021. In particular, a new realm, three orders, 15 families, 31 subfamilies, 734 genera and 1845 species were newly created or redefined (moved/promoted).

Comparative Genomics of Prophages Sato and Sole Expands the Genetic Diversity Found in the Genus .

Tectiviruses infecting the group represent part of the bacterial "plasmid repertoire" as they behave as linear plasmids during their lysogenic cycle. Several novel tectiviruses have been recently found infecting diverse strains belonging the lineage. Here, we report and analyze the complete genome sequences of phages Sato and Sole.

Modifications of cell wall polymers in Gram-positive bacteria by multi-component transmembrane glycosylation systems.

Secondary cell wall polymers fulfil diverse and important functions within the cell wall of Gram-positive bacteria. Here, we will provide a brief overview of the principles of teichoic acid and complex secondary cell wall polysaccharide biosynthesis pathways in Firmicutes and summarize the recently revised mechanism for the decoration of teichoic acids with d-alanines. Many cell wall polymers are decorated with glycosyl groups, either intracellularly or extracellularly.

Bacilysin within the Bacillus subtilis group: gene prevalence versus antagonistic activity against Gram-negative foodborne pathogens.

The Bacillus subtilis group comprises species known for their ability to produce a wide variety of antimicrobial peptides. This work focuses on bacilysin, a broad-spectrum active dipeptide, and its prevalence in the B. subtilis group.

Characterization of PlyB221 and PlyP32, Two Novel Endolysins Encoded by Phages Preying on the Group.

Endolysins are phage-encoded enzymes implicated in the breaching of the bacterial cell wall at the end of the viral cycle. This study focuses on the endolysins of Deep-Blue (PlyB221) and Deep-Purple (PlyP32), two phages preying on the group. Both enzymes exhibit a typical modular organization with an enzymatically active domain (EAD) located in the N-terminal and a cell wall binding domain (CBD) in the C-terminal part of the protein.

Taxonomy of prokaryotic viruses: 2018-2019 update from the ICTV Bacterial and Archaeal Viruses Subcommittee.

This article is a summary of the activities of the ICTV's Bacterial and Archaeal Viruses Subcommittee for the years 2018 and 2019. Highlights include the creation of a new order, 10 families, 22 subfamilies, 424 genera and 964 species. Some of our concerns about the ICTV's ability to adjust to and incorporate new DNA- and protein-based taxonomic tools are discussed.

Analysis of Spounaviruses as a Case Study for the Overdue Reclassification of Tailed Phages.

Tailed bacteriophages are the most abundant and diverse viruses in the world, with genome sizes ranging from 10 kbp to over 500 kbp. Yet, due to historical reasons, all this diversity is confined to a single virus order-Caudovirales, composed of just four families: Myoviridae, Siphoviridae, Podoviridae, and the newly created Ackermannviridae family. In recent years, this morphology-based classification scheme has started to crumble under the constant flood of phage sequences, revealing that tailed phages are even more genetically diverse than once thought.

Tomato Twisted Leaf Virus: A Novel Indigenous New World Monopartite Begomovirus Infecting Tomato in Venezuela.

Begomoviruses are one of the major groups of plant viruses with an important economic impact on crop production in tropical and subtropical regions. The global spread of its polyphagous vector, the whitefly , has contributed to the emergence and diversification of species within this genus. In this study, we found a putative novel begomovirus infecting tomato plants in Venezuela without a cognate DNA-B component.

Overview of the Antimicrobial Compounds Produced by Members of the Group.

Over the last seven decades, applications using members of the group have emerged in both food processes and crop protection industries. Their ability to form survival endospores and the plethora of antimicrobial compounds they produce has generated an increased industrial interest as food preservatives, therapeutic agents and biopesticides. In the growing context of food biopreservation and biological crop protection, this review suggests a comprehensive way to visualize the antimicrobial spectrum described within the group, including volatile compounds.

Role of plasmid plasticity and mobile genetic elements in the entomopathogen Bacillus thuringiensis serovar israelensis.

Bacillus thuringiensis is a well-known biopesticide that has been used for more than 80 years. This spore-forming bacterium belongs to the group of Bacillus cereus that also includes, among others, emetic and diarrheic pathotypes of B. cereus, the animal pathogen Bacillus anthracis and the psychrotolerant Bacillus weihenstephanensis.

Complete genome sequence of bacteriophage Deep-Purple, a novel member of the family Siphoviridae infecting Bacillus cereus.

Bacteriophage Deep-Purple, isolated from an agricultural soil in Belgium, lyses the emetic Bacillus weihenstephanensis strain LH002 and exhibits a lytic activity against 55% of emetic Bacillus cereus and B. weihenstephanensis strains. Deep-Purple is able to complete its lytic cycle within 45 min and is stable to a large range of pHs and temperatures below 60 °C.

A novel T4SS-mediated DNA transfer used by pXO16, a conjugative plasmid from Bacillus thuringiensis serovar israelensis.

The entomopathogenic Bacillus thuringiensis serovar israelensis displays peculiar conjugative transfer capabilities, accounted for by the large conjugative plasmid pXO16 (350 kb). The efficient and fast conjugative transfers are accompanied by a macroscopic aggregation of bacterial partners. Moreover, pXO16 has proven capable of effective mobilization and the retro-transfer of both mobilizable and 'non-mobilizable' plasmids.

Versatile Antagonistic Activities of Soil-Borne spp. and spp. against and Other Potato Pathogens.

The world potato is facing major economic losses due to disease pressure and environmental concerns regarding pesticides use. This work aims at addressing these two issues by isolating indigenous bacteria that can be integrated into pest management strategies. More than 2,800 strains of -like and -like were isolated from several soils and substrates associated with potato agro-systems in Belgium.

Complete Genome Sequence of CN026 Exhibiting Antagonistic Activity against Gram-Negative Foodborne Pathogens.

We report here the complete genome sequence of strain CN026, a member of the group, which is known for its many industrial applications. The genome contains 3,995,812 bp and displays six gene clusters potentially involved in strain CN026's activity against Gram-negative foodborne pathogens.

Diversity and enzymatic potentialities of Bacillus sp. strains isolated from a polluted freshwater ecosystem in Cuba.

Genotypic and phenotypic characterization of Bacillus spp. from polluted freshwater has been poorly addressed. The objective of this research was to determine the diversity and enzymatic potentialities of Bacillus spp.

Complete genome sequence of two tomato-infecting begomoviruses in Venezuela: evidence of a putative novel species and a novel recombinant strain.

At least six begomovirus species have been reported infecting tomato in Venezuela. In this study the complete genomes of two tomato-infecting begomovirus isolates (referred to as Trujillo-427 and Zulia-1084) were cloned and sequenced. Both isolates showed the typical genome organization of New World bipartite begomoviruses, with DNA-A genomic components displaying 88.

Molecular and biological characterization of a new Tomato mild yellow leaf curl Aragua virus strain producing severe symptoms in tomato.

Tomato mild yellow leaf curl Aragua virus (ToMYLCV) is a begomovirus first reported infecting tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and milkweed (Euphorbia heterophylla) in Venezuela. In this study, a ToMYLCV isolate (Zulia-219) was completely sequenced and its host range was evaluated. The DNA-A and DNA-B components of isolate Zulia-219 showed 93 and 85% nucleotide sequence identity with the respective counterparts of the ToMYLCV type strain.