Isolation and Characterization of Two Bacteriophages Infecting Bacillus anthracis: Biological Properties and Genomic Analysis

Anthrax is a zoonotic infectious disease characterized by high lethality and transmissibility. Its spores are highly stable and can persist in the environment for long periods. Furthermore, the overuse or improper use of antibiotics may contribute to bacterial resistance, complicating anthrax treatment. Phages can efficiently target and lyse Bacillus anthracis (B. anthracis), significantly reducing pathogen contamination and transmission risks in soil, water, and other environmental media. Compared to traditional chemical disinfectants and antibiotics, phages enable precise pathogen elimination while minimizing ecological disruption. In this study, two phages infecting B. anthracis, vB_BanM-JC307 (JC307) and vB_BanS-YL5 (YL5), were isolated and characterized. Both phages belong to the class Caudoviricetes. Genome sequencing revealed that JC307 and YL5 have sequence lengths of 148,323 bp and 74,568 bp, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that JC307 is located in the same evolutionary branch as the Nachito phage of the Herelleviridae family, while YL5, although grouped with the Basilisk-like phages, forms an independent branch. As these two phages have been observed to exhibit lytic activity against all nine tested strains of B. anthracis, they could serve as auxiliary tools for pathogen diagnosis and assist in ecological management of anthrax-contaminated areas.