Prophages are abundant elements integrated into bacterial genomes and contribute to inter-strain genetic variability and, in some cases, modulate the environmental behavior of bacteria, such as pathogen virulence. Here, we described prophage occurrence and diversity in publicly available
Erwinia genome assemblies, a genus
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Prophages are abundant elements integrated into bacterial genomes and contribute to inter-strain genetic variability and, in some cases, modulate the environmental behavior of bacteria, such as pathogen virulence. Here, we described prophage occurrence and diversity in publicly available
Erwinia genome assemblies, a genus containing plant pathogens. Prophage-like sequences were identified and taxonomically classified. Sequence diversity was analyzed through intergenomic similarities. Furthermore, we searched for anti-phage defense systems in
Erwinia spp., such as DISARM, BREX, and CRISPR-Cas systems, and identified the putative targets of CRISPR spacers. We identified 939 prophage-like sequences in 221
Erwinia spp. genome assemblies. Only 243 prophage-like sequences were classified, all belonging to the
Caudoviricetes class. The set of putative
Erwinia prophages was mostly unique since only three sequences showed more than 70% intergenomic similarities to known
Erwinia phages. Overall, the number and type of CRISPR-Cas systems were conserved within
Erwinia species, with many spacers directed to the putative prophages identified. This study increased the knowledge of the diversity and distribution of
Erwinia prophages, contributing to the characterization of genetic and ecological factors influencing
Erwinia spp. environmental fitness.
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