Small echogenic renal masses detected on ultrasound are most commonly angiomyolipoma (AMLs), however up to 5.1% of echogenic renal masses detected on ultrasound are renal cell carcinoma (RCC). While AMLs are the most common benign renal tumors, with prevalence between 0.2-0.6%. Most of these benign neoplasms are found incidentally on imaging and despite having smooth muscle, blood vessels, and adipose tissue, this is a heterogenous pathology. When AML contains little fat, they are isoechoic or only slightly hyperechoic on U/S and they can be mistaken for RCC.

Mycobacteriophages are viruses that infect mycobacterial hosts such as Mycobacterium smegmatis and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. All mycobacteriophages characterized to date are dsDNA tailed phages, and have either siphoviral or myoviral morphotypes. However, their genetic diversity is considerable, and although sixty-two genomes have been sequenced and comparatively analyzed, these likely represent only a small portion of the diversity of the mycobacteriophage population at large. Here we report the isolation, sequencing and comparative genomic analysis of 18 new mycobacteriophages isolated from geographically distinct locations within the United States. Although no clear correlation between location and genome type can be discerned, these genomes expand our knowledge of mycobacteriophage diversity and enhance our understanding of the roles of mobile elements in viral evolution. Expansion of the number of mycobacteriophages grouped within Cluster A provides insights into the basis of immune specificity in these temperate phages, and we also describe a novel example of apparent immunity theft. The isolation and genomic analysis of bacteriophages by freshman college students provides an example of an authentic research experience for novice scientists.