The genome of cyanophage P60, a lytic virus which infects marine Synechococcus WH7803, was
completely sequenced. The P60 genome contained 47,872 bp with 80 potential open reading frames that were mostly similar to
the genes found in lytic phages like T7, phi-YeO3-12, and SIO1. The DNA replication system, consisting of primase-helicase
and DNA polymerase, appeared to be more conserved in podoviruses than in siphoviruses and myoviruses, suggesting that DNA
replication genes could be the critical elements for lytic phages. Strikingly high sequence similarities in the regions coding
for nucleotide metabolism were found between cyanophage P60 and marine unicellular cyanobacteria.
Reference:
Chen, F. and J. R. Lu. 2002. Genomic sequence and evolution of marine cyanophage P60: A new insight
on lytic and lysogenic phages. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 68, (5) p.2589-2594