Introducing Lu-1, a NovelLactobacillus Jenseniiphage Abundant in the Urogenital Tract

Bacteriophages (phages) play a key role in shaping microbial communities, including those of the human body. Phages are abundant members of the urogenital tract, most often persisting through the lysogenic life cycle as prophages integrated within the genomes of their bacterial hosts. While numerous studies of the urogenital microbiota have focused on the most abundant bacterial member of this niche-Lactobacillusspecies-very little is known aboutLactobacillusphages. Focusing onLactobacillus jenseniistrains from the urinary tract, we identified numerous prophages related to the previously characterized Lv-1 phage from a vaginalL.jenseniistrain. Furthermore, we identified a newL.jenseniiphage, Lu-1. Evidence suggests that both phages are abundant within the urogenital tract. CRISPR spacer sequences matching to Lv-1 and Lu-1 prophages were identified. While first detected in urinary isolates, the Lu-1 phage was also discovered inL.jenseniiisolates from vaginal and perineal swabs, and both phages were found in metagenomic data sets. The prevalence of these phages in the isolates suggests that both phages are active members of the urogenital microbiota.