Bacteria of the genus Bacillus are a diverse group; several species within the genus are of interest due to their implications for public health and disease. For example, Bacillus anthracis is the causative agent of anthrax while Bacillus cereus, a close genetic relative, and Bacillus pumilus are both species that have been implicated in food poisoning. Phage therapy has shown promise in many areas of public health including prevention of diseases associated with food poisoning. Recently the use of phage to prevent Listeria monocytogenes infection has been approved for use on deli meats. Therefore, the aim of this study was to isolate bacteriophages capable of infecting B. pumilus and B. cereus in order to be used as potential prophylactics for preventing food‐related illness and or anthrax. A single phage capable of infecting B. pumilus was isolated from soil taken from the University of La Verne campus. Several more phage are currently being purified. Based on imaging and plaque morphology data the isolated phage is most likely a member of the Siphoviridae family and undergoes a lytic life cycle within B. pumilus. The host range for this particular virion appears small as tests on other members within the genus suggest it is only capable of infecting B. pumilus cells. Currently, phage for B. cereus are in the process of being purified.
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