Genomic Relationship Between Brochothrix campestris and Its Phages: A Cross-Replicon and Interspecies Perspective

<b>Background/Objectives</b>: The bacterium <i>Brochothrix campestris</i> is closely related to <i>Brochothrix thermosphacta</i>, a known food spoilage agent, and <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i>, the causative agent of listeriosis. <i>B. campestris</i> garnered attention several years ago because it produces brochocin-C, a bacteriocin capable of inhibiting the growth of certain pathogens. It has been recently suggested that phages play a significant role in the evolution of <i>B. thermosphacta</i>, similar to the role they play for <i>L. monocytogenes</i>. However, understanding the role of phages in the evolution of <i>B. campestris</i> has been challenging because only a draft of genome sequences of a single <i>B. campestris</i> strain was previously available. <b>Methods</b>: In this study, DNA from the <i>B. campestris</i> type strain DSM 4712 was sequenced using Oxford Nanopore and Illumina technologies to obtain complete, high-quality genome sequences. <b>Results</b>: The assembly revealed the presence of a plasmid and a phage-plasmid. Additionally, chromosomal analysis identified several genomic islands, including one harboring the brochocin genes, suggesting that these genes may have undergone horizontal transfer. <b>Conclusions</b>: This study underscores the potential importance of phages in the evolution of <i>B. campestris</i>, and also highlights the need for further research into the interactions between <i>Brochothrix</i> species and their associated phages to better understand these complex biological relationships.