Identification and characterization of a lysis module present in a large proportion of bacteriophages infecting Streptococcus thermophilus

Research was conducted to examine the characterization of the lytic module of an Streptococcus thermophilus bacteriophage consisting of three adjacent genes. The lysis module has a lysin gene, and two putative holin-encoding genes. Results based on Southern blotting experiments reveal that at least one of the three components of the lysis module is present in all members of a large collection of bacteriophages which suggest that the components are widespread among bacteriophages that infect S. thermophilus.