Deciphering the genomic features of four newly isolated polyvalent bacteriophages infecting Pseudomonas coronafaciens pv. garcae: A tale of small beginnings

Emerging phytopathogens are a growing threat to global agriculture, undermining crop yields and jeopardizing food security. Among these, Pseudomonas coronafaciens pv. garcae (Pcg) causes coffee halo blight, a disease with serious implications for coffee production. Current control measures rely heavily on copper-based compounds and antibiotics like kasugamycin, both of which present environmental hazards and drive resistance development. In this context, bacteriophages offer a targeted and sustainable alternative. Although phage therapy has been explored for several plant pathogens, no phage-based solution has yet been tailored to control Pcg. Here, we describe an in-depth genomic characterization of four novel lytic phages (PCG-05T, PCG-06T, PCG-07T, and PCG-09T) capable of infecting Pseudomonas coronafaciens pv. garcae . Genomic sequencing and structural analysis via transmission electron microscopy revealed that phages PCG-05T, PCG-07T, and PCG-09T exhibit myovirus morphology, while phage PCG-06T displayed a siphovirus morphotype. Beyond taxonomic classification, we investigated the intrinsic cyclizability of their genomes, integrating insights from DNA biophysics to explore how sequence-dependent mechanical properties influence phage virion assembly. Our findings suggest that DNA bendability, shaped by base pair composition and helical periodicity, may correlate with phage morphogenesis efficiency. This study not only broadens the repertoire of candidate phages for biocontrol of coffee plant pathogens but also introduces an innovative hypothesis linking genome mechanics to phage virion fitness. These insights lay the groundwork for environmentally friendly phage-based strategies to combat bacterial blight in coffee plant cultivation.