A novel lytic phage infecting MDR Salmonella enterica and its application as effective food biocontrol

<i>Salmonella enterica</i> is a foodborne pathogen associated with both typhoid and non-typhoid illness in humans and animals. This problem is further exacerbated by the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains of <i>Salmonella enterica</i>. Therefore, to meet public health and safety, there is a need for an alternative strategy to tackle antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Bacteriophages or (bacterial viruses), due to their specificity, self-dosing, and antibiofilm activity, serve as a better approach to fighting against drug-resistant bacteria. In the current study, a broad-host range lytic phage phiSalP219 was isolated against multidrug-resistant <i>Salmonella enterica</i> serotypes Paratyphi from a pond water sample. <i>Salmonella</i> phage phiSalP219 was able to lyse 28/30 tested strains of <i>Salmonella enterica</i>. <i>Salmonella</i> phage phiSalP219 exhibits activity in acidic environments (pH3) and high temperatures (70°C). Electron microscopy and genome analysis revealed that phage phiSalP219 is a member of class <i>Caudoviricetes</i>. The genome of <i>Salmonella</i> phage phiSalP219 is 146Kb in size with 44.5% GC content. A total of 250 Coding Sequence (CDS) and 25 tRNAs were predicted in its genome. Predicted open reading frames (ORFs) were divided into five groups based on their annotation results: (1) nucleotide metabolism, (2) DNA replication and transcription, (3) structural proteins, (4) lysis protein, and (5) other proteins. The absence of lysogeny-related genes in their genome indicates that <i>Salmonella</i> phage phiSalP219 is lytic in nature. Phage phiSalP219 was also found to be microbiologically safe (due to the absence of toxin or virulence-related genes) in the control of <i>Salmonella enterica</i> serovar Typhimurium infections in the ready-to-eat meat and also able to eradicate biofilm formed by the same bacterium on the borosilicate glass surface.