ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Microbiol.
Sec. Phage Biology
This article is part of the Research TopicInnovations in Phage Biocontrol: Advancing Technology and ApplicationsView all 6 articles
Characterization of Two Novel Bacteriophages (PSV6 and PSV3) as Biocontrol Agents Against Pseudomonas syringae
Provisionally accepted
- 1Yunnan Minzu University, Kunming, China
- 2Kunming University of Science and Technology School of Life Science and Technology, Kunming, China
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Pseudomonas syringae is a prevalent plant-pathogenic bacterium. Conventional control strategies, such as fungicides, copper-based compounds, and antibiotics, often result in elevated environmental toxicity and promote the emergence of bacterial resistance. Consequently, bacteriophage-based biocontrol has garnered considerable attention as an eco-friendly alternative. In this study, two novel bacteriophages, PSV6 and PSV3, were isolated from wastewater using Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae (Pss) as the host strain. Transmission electron microscopy and whole-genome phylogenetic analyses indicated that both phages belong to the class Caudoviricetes, with PSV6 classified within Autotranscriptaviridae and PSV3 within Jondennisvirinae. The one-step growth characteristics, as well as the thermal, pH, and solvent stabilities of PSV6 and PSV3, were further evaluated under different solvent conditions. Their host range, a critical factor for their environmental applications, was also assessed. Whole-genome sequencing revealed that the genome of PSV6 is 40,070 bp in length and contains 48 open reading frames (ORFs), whereas that of PSV3 is 229,871 bp long and comprises 376 ORFs, with no virulence factors or antibiotic resistance genes detected. In vivo assays in Arabidopsis thaliana demonstrated that increasing phage titers enhanced biocontrol efficacy against Pss. Notably, treatment with both phages was more effective than treatment with PSV6 alone. Moreover, treatment with PSV3 at a multiplicity of infection of 100 exhibited the strongest preventive and therapeutic effects against Pss. Overall, our results highlight the potential of PSV6 and PSV3 as sustainable alternatives to chemical pesticides in agriculture.
Keywords: Bacteriophage therapy, Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae, eco-friendly biocontrol, plant protection, pathogenic bacteria
Received: 22 May 2025; Accepted: 24 Oct 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Zhang, 赵, Li, Zou, Ju, Xiang and Wei. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Yunlin Wei, homework18@126.com
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