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Kok et al. Microbiome Res Rep 2023;2:30 https://dx.doi.org/10.20517/mrr.2023.16 Page 7 of 19

Table 2. CRISPR array and spacer details of the eight Paenibacillus larvae isolates
P. larvae strain No. of CRISPR arrays No. of spacers No. of unique spacers
Pl-WAI 4 15 0
Pl-TP 4 17 0
Pl-CHCH 4 17 0
PFR-Pl-2017 4 17 0
PFR-Pl-2006 4 16 0
Pl-F1A 4 17 0
Pl-F2B 4 17 0
Pl-P1627 5 25 12
P. Larvae: Paenibacillus larvae.

Table 3. Prophages found in the eight Paenibacillus larvae isolates
P. larvae Total Intact Name of intact Size of prophage Total GC content Questionable Incomplete
strain prophages phage (Kb) proteins # (%)
Pl-WAI 14 2 Vegas 41.7 60 43.06 3 9
Harrison 15.2 19 43.30
Pl-TP 14 2 Vegas 39.6 61 43.29 3 9
Harrison 15.2 18 43.29
Pl-CHCH 14 2 Vegas 39.6 61 43.30 3 9
Harrison 15.2 18 43.31
PFR-Pl-2017 13 2 Vegas 39.6 60 43.29 4 7
Harrison 15.2 18 43.30
PFR-Pl- 15 2 Vegas 39.6 61 43.30 4 9
2006 Harrison 15.2 18 43.30
Pl-F1A 12 2 Vegas 35.7 55 43.56 3 7
Harrison 31.5 52 42.07
Pl-F2B 13 1 Harrison 41.5 81 41.95 3 9
Pl-P1627 10 1 Vegas 43.1 66 43.68 3 6
P. Larvae: Paenibacillus larvae.

Phage discovery
A community science approach to national sample collection
Bee hives are distributed throughout the country in out-of-the-way locations and often on private property.
In order to isolate phages from around New Zealand, we used a community science approach to engage the
assistance of New Zealand beekeepers. An infographic [Supplementary Figure 1] was developed and
distributed widely in beekeeping circles via social media, beekeeping magazines, in-person apiculture
conferences and posted on our website (http://www.hendricksonlab.co.nz/ABATE/). Beekeepers were
encouraged to take samples of soil or hive/bee debris and return them to be processed for the presence of
phages in a prepaid and addressed envelope. As part of the community science, beekeepers were able to
name any phages that were discovered within a sample they had provided us. A total of 720 sample tubes
were distributed, out of which 430 samples were returned and processed, with a return rate of 60%. Samples
were taken from a wide distribution of locations in New Zealand [Figure 2A].

Twenty-six of the samples contained a novel phage able to infect at least one of our bacterial isolates of
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P. larvae [Figure 2B and Table 4]. These phages were generally of a low titer (10 -10 mL ), which initially
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