Presentation Abstract

Student's Name: Jack Martin '28

Co-registrant Names:

Type of Presentation: Research Presentation

Presentation Title: "Annotation of the Cluster L4 Mycobacteriophage Kropertea Genome"

Abstract:

Mycobacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria and are widely studied for their potential to address antibiotic-resistant infections. They are non-pathogenic, meaning labs can safely study them without the biosafety precautions required for pathogenic microorganisms. This study focuses on the genome annotation of the mycobacteriophage Kropertea, a member of Cluster L and subcluster L4. Of the twelve known members of this subcluster, only four have been completely annotated. This phage was originally isolated from wastewater in Edmond, Oklahoma by the University of Central Oklahoma in 2024. This study was conducted to identify the presence, location, and potential function of genes within the Kropertea genome and contribute these findings to the Actinobacteriophage Database. Genome analysis of the 135 predicted genes was conducted using PECAAN along with NCBI BLAST, Glimmer, GeneMark, GeneMarkS, HHPred, and Starterator to evaluate gene location and coding potential. These tools were used to improve auto-annotated gene predictions and annotation accuracy. Expanding the genomic database of mycobacteriophages provides insight into phage multiplicity, evolution and may support future research and applications.

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