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Al-Anany AM, Fatima R, Nair G, Mayol JT, Hynes AP. Temperate phage-antibiotic synergy across antibiotic classes reveals new mechanism for preventing lysogeny. mBio 2024; 15:e0050424. [PMID: 38757974 PMCID: PMC11237771 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00504-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
A recent demonstration of synergy between a temperate phage and the antibiotic ciprofloxacin suggested a scalable approach to exploiting temperate phages in therapy, termed temperate phage-antibiotic synergy, which specifically interacted with the lysis-lysogeny decision. To determine whether this would hold true across antibiotics, we challenged Escherichia coli with the phage HK97 and a set of 13 antibiotics spanning seven classes. As expected, given the conserved induction pathway, we observed synergy with classes of drugs known to induce an SOS response: a sulfa drug, other quinolones, and mitomycin C. While some β-lactams exhibited synergy, this appeared to be traditional phage-antibiotic synergy, with no effect on the lysis-lysogeny decision. Curiously, we observed a potent synergy with antibiotics not known to induce the SOS response: protein synthesis inhibitors gentamicin, kanamycin, tetracycline, and azithromycin. The synergy results in an eightfold reduction in the effective minimum inhibitory concentration of gentamicin, complete eradication of the bacteria, and, when administered at sub-optimal doses, drastically decreases the frequency of lysogens emerging from the combined challenge. However, lysogens exhibit no increased sensitivity to the antibiotic; synergy was maintained in the absence of RecA; and the antibiotic reduced the initial frequency of lysogeny rather than selecting against formed lysogens. Our results confirm that SOS-inducing antibiotics broadly result in temperate-phage-specific synergy, but that other antibiotics can interact with temperate phages specifically and result in synergy. This is the first report of a means of chemically blocking entry into lysogeny, providing a new means for manipulating the key lysis-lysogeny decision.IMPORTANCEThe lysis-lysogeny decision is made by most bacterial viruses (bacteriophages, phages), determining whether to kill their host or go dormant within it. With over half of the bacteria containing phages waiting to wake, this is one of the most important behaviors in all of biology. These phages are also considered unusable for therapy because of this behavior. In this paper, we show that many antibiotics bias this behavior to "wake" the dormant phages, forcing them to kill their host, but some also prevent dormancy in the first place. These will be important tools to study this critical decision point and may enable the therapeutic use of these phages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amany M Al-Anany
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Rabia Fatima
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Gayatri Nair
- Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jordan T Mayol
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Alexander P Hynes
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Farncombe Family Digestive Health Research Institute, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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2
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Selcuk E, Dokuz S, Ozbek T. Evaluating the Stability of Lytic and Lysogenic Bacteriophages in Various Protectants. J Pharm Sci 2024; 113:1488-1497. [PMID: 38280723 DOI: 10.1016/j.xphs.2024.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 01/29/2024]
Abstract
Phage therapy has regained value as a potential alternative and a complementary anti-infective approach to antibiotics in the fight against bacterial pathogens. Due to their host specificity, non-pathogenic nature for humans, and low production cost, phages offer an effective opportunity for utilization in healthcare, agriculture, and food preservation. Well-defined storage conditions are essential for commercialization and dissemination of phage usage. For this purpose, in our study, after the isolation and characterization of two different phages, one lytic and the other lysogenic; storage and shelf-life studies of phages were evaluated in a presence of various protectants (glycerol, sodium azide, DMSO with chloroform) and without any protectant during 8-month period at four different temperatures. The short-time stability of the lytic P. syringae phage and lysogenic MRSA phage, which were determined by STEM analysis to belong to the Straboviridae and Siphoviridae families, respectively were also examined for the different temperatures and the pH levels ranging from 1.0 to 14.0. This study revealed the storage-model of phages that exhibit distinct lifecycles, for the first time and provided a theoretical basis for development and application of phages, has yielded valuable findings contributing to understanding of phage biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emine Selcuk
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Yildiz Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Senanur Dokuz
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Yildiz Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Tulin Ozbek
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Yildiz Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey.
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3
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Kraus S, Fletcher ML, Łapińska U, Chawla K, Baker E, Attrill EL, O'Neill P, Farbos A, Jeffries A, Galyov EE, Korbsrisate S, Barnes KB, Harding SV, Tsaneva-Atanasova K, Blaskovich MAT, Pagliara S. Phage-induced efflux down-regulation boosts antibiotic efficacy. PLoS Pathog 2024; 20:e1012361. [PMID: 38941361 PMCID: PMC11239113 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1012361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Revised: 07/11/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/30/2024] Open
Abstract
The interactions between a virus and its host vary in space and time and are affected by the presence of molecules that alter the physiology of either the host or the virus. Determining the molecular mechanisms at the basis of these interactions is paramount for predicting the fate of bacterial and phage populations and for designing rational phage-antibiotic therapies. We study the interactions between stationary phase Burkholderia thailandensis and the phage ΦBp-AMP1. Although heterogeneous genetic resistance to phage rapidly emerges in B. thailandensis, the presence of phage enhances the efficacy of three major antibiotic classes, the quinolones, the beta-lactams and the tetracyclines, but antagonizes tetrahydrofolate synthesis inhibitors. We discovered that enhanced antibiotic efficacy is facilitated by reduced antibiotic efflux in the presence of phage. This new phage-antibiotic therapy allows for eradication of stationary phase bacteria, whilst requiring reduced antibiotic concentrations, which is crucial for treating infections in sites where it is difficult to achieve high antibiotic concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Kraus
- Living Systems Institute and Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, Devon, United Kingdom
| | - Megan L Fletcher
- Living Systems Institute and Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, Devon, United Kingdom
| | - Urszula Łapińska
- Living Systems Institute and Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, Devon, United Kingdom
| | - Krina Chawla
- Living Systems Institute and Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, Devon, United Kingdom
| | - Evan Baker
- Department of Mathematics and Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Exeter, Devon, United Kingdom
- EPSRC Hub for Quantitative Modelling in Healthcare, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Erin L Attrill
- Living Systems Institute and Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, Devon, United Kingdom
| | - Paul O'Neill
- Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, Devon, EX4 4QD, United Kingdom
| | - Audrey Farbos
- Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, Devon, EX4 4QD, United Kingdom
| | - Aaron Jeffries
- Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, Devon, EX4 4QD, United Kingdom
| | - Edouard E Galyov
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester, United Kingdom
| | - Sunee Korbsrisate
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok Thailand
| | - Kay B Barnes
- Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah V Harding
- Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, United Kingdom
| | - Krasimira Tsaneva-Atanasova
- Department of Mathematics and Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Exeter, Devon, United Kingdom
- EPSRC Hub for Quantitative Modelling in Healthcare, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Mark A T Blaskovich
- Centre for Superbug Solutions, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Stefano Pagliara
- Living Systems Institute and Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, Devon, United Kingdom
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4
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Luo J, Liu M, Ai W, Zheng X, Liu S, Huang K, Zhang C, Li Q, Luo C. Synergy of lytic phage pB23 and meropenem combination against carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2024:e0044824. [PMID: 38742904 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00448-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Phage-antibiotic combination treatment is a novel noteworthy drug delivery method in anti-infection. In the current study, we have isolated a new phage, pB23, against carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii 2023. Synergistic antibacterial effect between phage pB23 and meropenem combination could be more stable, using moderate doses of phage (multiplicity of infection ranging from 0.1 to 1,000) based on results of in vitro antibacterial activity. Phage pB23 and meropenem combination could effectively clear mature biofilms and prevent biofilm formation of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii in vitro. Phage pB23 and meropenem combination also has good synergistic antibacterial effects against carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii in different growth phases under static culture conditions. The pig skin explant model shows that phage pB23 and meropenem combination has a synergistic effect to remove bacteria from wounds ex vivo. Phage pB23 and meropenem combination also exhibited a synergistic antibacterial effect in vivo using a zebrafish infection mode. The potential promotion of phage proliferation by meropenem and the sensitivity recovery of phage-resistant bacteria to meropenem might elucidate the mechanism of the synergistic antimicrobial activity. In summary, our study illustrates that phage pB23 and meropenem combination could produce synergistic antibacterial effects against carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii under static growth conditions. This study also demonstrates that phage-antibiotic combination will become an effective strategy to enhance antibacterial activity of individual drug and provide a new idea of the drug development for the treatment of infections due to carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii and other multidrug-resistant bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Luo
- The First College of Clinical Medical Science, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China
- Yichang Central People's Hospital, Yichang, China
| | - Min Liu
- The First College of Clinical Medical Science, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China
- Yichang Central People's Hospital, Yichang, China
| | - Wen Ai
- The First College of Clinical Medical Science, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China
- Yichang Central People's Hospital, Yichang, China
| | - Xiaoling Zheng
- The First College of Clinical Medical Science, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China
- Yichang Central People's Hospital, Yichang, China
| | - Shaowei Liu
- The First College of Clinical Medical Science, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China
- Yichang Central People's Hospital, Yichang, China
| | - Kuo Huang
- The First College of Clinical Medical Science, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China
- Yichang Central People's Hospital, Yichang, China
| | - Changlin Zhang
- The First College of Clinical Medical Science, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China
- Yichang Central People's Hospital, Yichang, China
| | - Qianyuan Li
- The First College of Clinical Medical Science, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China
- Yichang Central People's Hospital, Yichang, China
| | - Chunhua Luo
- The First College of Clinical Medical Science, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China
- Yichang Central People's Hospital, Yichang, China
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5
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Khong E, Oh JJ, Jimenez JM, Liu R, Dunham S, Monsibais A, Rhoads A, Ghatbale P, Garcia A, Cobián Güemes AG, Blanc AN, Chiu M, Kuo P, Proost M, Kline A, Aslam S, Schooley RT, Whiteson K, Fraley SI, Pride DT. A simple solid media assay for detection of synergy between bacteriophages and antibiotics. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0322123. [PMID: 38526142 PMCID: PMC11064537 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03221-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
The emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) has necessitated the development of alternative therapies to deal with this global threat. Bacteriophages (viruses that target bacteria) that kill ARB are one such alternative. Although phages have been used clinically for decades with inconsistent results, a number of recent advances in phage selection, propagation, and purification have enabled a reevaluation of their utility in contemporary clinical medicine. In most phage therapy cases, phages are administered in combination with antibiotics to ensure that patients receive the standard-of-care treatment. Some phages may work cooperatively with antibiotics to eradicate ARB, as often determined using non-standardized broth assays. We sought to develop a solid media-based assay to assess cooperativity between antibiotics and phages to offer a standardized platform for such testing. We modeled the interactions that occur between antibiotics and phages on solid medium to measure additive, antagonistic, and synergistic interactions. We then tested the method using different bacterial isolates and identified a number of isolates where synergistic interactions were identified. These interactions were not dependent on the specific organism, phage family, or antibiotic used. A priori susceptibility to the antibiotic or the specific phage were not requirements to observe synergistic interactions. Our data also confirm the potential for the restoration of vancomycin to treat vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) when used in combination with phages. Solid media assays for the detection of cooperative interactions between antibiotics and phages can be an accessible technique adopted by clinical laboratories to evaluate antibiotic and phage choices in phage therapy.IMPORTANCEBacteriophages have become an important alternative treatment for individuals with life-threatening antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) infections. Because antibiotics represent the standard-of-care for treatment of ARB, antibiotics and phages often are delivered together without evidence that they work cooperatively. Testing for cooperativity can be difficult due to the equipment necessary and a lack of standardized means for performing the testing in liquid medium. We developed an assay using solid medium to identify interactions between antibiotics and phages for gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. We modeled the interactions between antibiotics and phages on solid medium, and then tested multiple replicates of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) and Stenotrophomonas in the assay. For each organism, we identified synergy between different phage and antibiotic combinations. The development of this solid media assay for assessing synergy between phages and antibiotics will better inform the use of these combinations in the treatment of ARB infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ethan Khong
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Joseph J. Oh
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Julian M. Jimenez
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Roland Liu
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Sage Dunham
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Alisha Monsibais
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Alison Rhoads
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Pooja Ghatbale
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Andrew Garcia
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | | | - Alisha N. Blanc
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Megan Chiu
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Peiting Kuo
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Marissa Proost
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Ahnika Kline
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Saima Aslam
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Robert T. Schooley
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Katrine Whiteson
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Stephanie I. Fraley
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - David T. Pride
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
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6
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Li Y, Zhou W, Gao Y, Li X, Yuan L, Zhu G, Gu X, Yang Z. Nanozyme colourimetry based on temperate bacteriophage for rapid and sensitive detection of Staphylococcus aureus in food matrices. Int J Food Microbiol 2024; 416:110657. [PMID: 38452659 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2024.110657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
Although bacteriophage-based biosensors are promising tools for rapid, convenient, and sensitive detection of Staphylococcus aureus in food products, the effect of biosensors using temperate phages as biorecognition elements to detect viable S. aureus isolates remains unclear. In this study, three temperate S. aureus phages were isolated and their biological features (one-step growth, host range, pH stability, temperature stability, and adsorption rate) were evaluated as the biological element. The selected phage SapYZUs8 was immobilized on the nanozyme Cu-MOF via electrostatic interactions to generate SapYZUs8@Cu-MOF, and its detection performance in real food (skim milk and pork) was then evaluated. Compared with phages SapYZUm7 and SapYZUs16, phage SapYZUs8 exhibited a broader host range, greater pH stability (3-12), and a better absorption rate (92 %, 8 min) suitable for S. aureus detection, which is likely the result of the DNA replication (DNA helicase) and phage tail protein genes in the SapYZUs8 genome. Therefore, phage SapYZUs8 was fixed on Cu-MOF to generate SapYZUs8@Cu-MOF, which exhibited good sensitivity and specificity for rapid colourimetric detection of viable S. aureus. The method took <0.5 h, and the detection limit was 1.09 × 102 CFU/mL. In addition, SapYZUs8@Cu-MOF was successfully employed for the colourimetric detection of S. aureus in food samples without interference from different food additives, NaCl concentrations, or pH values. With these benefits, it allows rapid visual assessment of S. aureus levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yajie Li
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225127, China
| | - Wenyuan Zhou
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225127, China; College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225009, China.
| | - Yajun Gao
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225127, China
| | - Xuan Li
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225127, China
| | - Lei Yuan
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225127, China
| | - Guoqiang Zhu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225009, China
| | - Xuewen Gu
- Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225009, China
| | - Zhenquan Yang
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225127, China
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7
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Szymczak M, Pankowski JA, Kwiatek A, Grygorcewicz B, Karczewska-Golec J, Sadowska K, Golec P. An effective antibiofilm strategy based on bacteriophages armed with silver nanoparticles. Sci Rep 2024; 14:9088. [PMID: 38643290 PMCID: PMC11032367 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-59866-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The emerging antibiotic resistance in pathogenic bacteria is a key problem in modern medicine that has led to a search for novel therapeutic strategies. A potential approach for managing such bacteria involves the use of their natural killers, namely lytic bacteriophages. Another effective method involves the use of metal nanoparticles with antimicrobial properties. However, the use of lytic phages armed with nanoparticles as an effective antimicrobial strategy, particularly with respect to biofilms, remains unexplored. Here, we show that T7 phages armed with silver nanoparticles exhibit greater efficacy in terms of controlling bacterial biofilm, compared with phages or nanoparticles alone. We initially identified a novel silver nanoparticle-binding peptide, then constructed T7 phages that successfully displayed the peptide on the outer surface of the viral head. These recombinant, AgNP-binding phages could effectively eradicate bacterial biofilm, even when used at low concentrations. Additionally, when used at concentrations that could eradicate bacterial biofilm, T7 phages armed with silver nanoparticles were not toxic to eukaryotic cells. Our results show that the novel combination of lytic phages with phage-bound silver nanoparticles is an effective, synergistic and safe strategy for the treatment of bacterial biofilms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mateusz Szymczak
- Department of Molecular Virology, Faculty of Biology, Institute of Microbiology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Jarosław A Pankowski
- Department of Molecular Virology, Faculty of Biology, Institute of Microbiology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096, Warsaw, Poland
- Dioscuri Centre for Physics and Chemistry of Bacteria, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Kwiatek
- Department of Molecular Virology, Faculty of Biology, Institute of Microbiology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Bartłomiej Grygorcewicz
- Department of Molecular Virology, Faculty of Biology, Institute of Microbiology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Joanna Karczewska-Golec
- Department of Molecular Virology, Faculty of Biology, Institute of Microbiology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Kamila Sadowska
- Nalecz Institute of Biocybernetics and Biomedical Engineering, Polish Academy of Sciences, Ks. Trojdena 4, 02-109, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Piotr Golec
- Department of Molecular Virology, Faculty of Biology, Institute of Microbiology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096, Warsaw, Poland.
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8
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Loganathan A, Bozdogan B, Manohar P, Nachimuthu R. Phage-antibiotic combinations in various treatment modalities to manage MRSA infections. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1356179. [PMID: 38659581 PMCID: PMC11041375 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1356179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction: The emergence of antibiotic resistance is a significant challenge in the treatment of bacterial infections, particularly in patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). Phage-antibiotic combination therapy is now being utilized as a preferred therapeutic option for infections that are multi-drug resistant in nature. Methods: In this study, we examined the combined impact of the staph phage vB_Sau_S90 and four antibiotics on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). We conducted experiments on three different treatment sequences: a) administering phages before antibiotics, b) administering phages and antibiotics simultaneously, and c) administering antibiotics before phages. Results: When the media was supplemented with sub-inhibitory concentrations of 0.25 μg/mL and 1 μg/mL, the size of the plaque increased from 0.5 ± 0.1 mm (in the control group with only the phage) to 4 ± 0.2 mm, 1.6 ± 0.1 mm, and 1.6 ± 0.4 mm when fosfomycin, ciprofloxacin, and oxacillin were added, respectively. The checkerboard analysis revealed a synergistic effect between the phages and antibiotics investigated, as indicated by a FIC value of less than 0.5. The combination treatment of phages and antibiotics demonstrated universal efficacy across all treatments. Nevertheless, the optimal effectiveness was demonstrated when the antibiotics were delivered subsequent to the phages. Utilizing the Galleria mellonella model, in vivo experiments showed that the combination of phage-oxacillin effectively eliminated biofilm-infected larvae, resulting in a survival rate of up to 80% in the treated groups. Discussion: Our findings highlight the advantages of using a combination of phage and antibiotic over using phages alone in the treatment of MRSA infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Archana Loganathan
- School of Bioscience and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore, India
| | - Bulent Bozdogan
- Medical Microbiology Department, Adnan Menderes University, Aydin, Türkiye
| | - Prasanth Manohar
- School of Bioscience and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore, India
| | - Ramesh Nachimuthu
- School of Bioscience and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore, India
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9
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Martinez-Soto CE, McClelland M, Kropinski AM, Lin JT, Khursigara CM, Anany H. Multireceptor phage cocktail against Salmonella enterica to circumvent phage resistance. MICROLIFE 2024; 5:uqae003. [PMID: 38545601 PMCID: PMC10972627 DOI: 10.1093/femsml/uqae003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
Non-Typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) is one of the most common food-borne pathogens worldwide, with poultry products being the major vehicle for pathogenesis in humans. The use of bacteriophage (phage) cocktails has recently emerged as a novel approach to enhancing food safety. Here, a multireceptor Salmonella phage cocktail of five phages was developed and characterized. The cocktail targets four receptors: O-antigen, BtuB, OmpC, and rough Salmonella strains. Structural analysis indicated that all five phages belong to unique families or subfamilies. Genome analysis of four of the phages showed they were devoid of known virulence or antimicrobial resistance factors, indicating enhanced safety. The phage cocktail broad antimicrobial spectrum against Salmonella, significantly inhibiting the growth of all 66 strains from 20 serovars tested in vitro. The average bacteriophage insensitive mutant (BIM) frequency against the cocktail was 6.22 × 10-6 in S. Enteritidis, significantly lower than that of each of the individual phages. The phage cocktail reduced the load of Salmonella in inoculated chicken skin by 3.5 log10 CFU/cm2 after 48 h at 25°C and 15°C, and 2.5 log10 CFU/cm2 at 4°C. A genome-wide transduction assay was used to investigate the transduction efficiency of the selected phage in the cocktail. Only one of the four phages tested could transduce the kanamycin resistance cassette at a low frequency comparable to that of phage P22. Overall, the results support the potential of cocktails of phage that each target different host receptors to achieve complementary infection and reduce the emergence of phage resistance during biocontrol applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos E Martinez-Soto
- Guelph Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food
Canada, 93 Stone Rd W, N1G 5C9, Guelph, Ontario,
Canada
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Biological
Science, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd E, N1G 2W1,
Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Michael McClelland
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine,
University of California, Irvine, 811 Health Sciences Road,
CA 92614, United States
| | - Andrew M Kropinski
- Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of
Guelph, Guelph, 419 Gordon St, Guelph, ON N1G
2W1, Canada
| | - Janet T Lin
- Guelph Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food
Canada, 93 Stone Rd W, N1G 5C9, Guelph, Ontario,
Canada
| | - Cezar M Khursigara
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Biological
Science, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd E, N1G 2W1,
Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Hany Anany
- Guelph Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food
Canada, 93 Stone Rd W, N1G 5C9, Guelph, Ontario,
Canada
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Biological
Science, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd E, N1G 2W1,
Guelph, Ontario, Canada
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10
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Hong Q, Chang RYK, Assafiri O, Morales S, Chan HK. Optimizing in vitro phage-ciprofloxacin combination formulation for respiratory therapy of multi-drug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections. Int J Pharm 2024; 652:123853. [PMID: 38280500 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2024.123853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2023] [Revised: 01/21/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 01/29/2024]
Abstract
Respiratory infection caused by multi-drug resistant (MDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa is challenging to treat. In this study, we investigate the optimal dose of anti-pseudomonas phage PEV31 (103, 105, and 108 PFU/mL) combined with ciprofloxacin (ranging from 1/8× MIC to 8× MIC) to treat the MDR P. aeruginosa strain FADD1-PA001 using time-kill studies. We determined the impact of phage growth kinetics in the presence of ciprofloxacin through one-step growth analysis. Single treatments with either phage PEV31 or ciprofloxacin (except at 8× MIC) showed limited bactericidal efficiency, with bacterial regrowth observed at 48 h. The most effective treatments were PEV31 at multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 0.1 and 100 combined with ciprofloxacin at concentrations above 1× MIC, resulting in a >4 log10 reduction in bacterial counts. While the burst size of phage PEV31 was decreased with increasing ciprofloxacin concentration, robust antimicrobial effects were still maintained in the combination treatment. Aerosol samples collected from vibrating mesh nebulization of the combination formulation at phage MOI of 100 with 2× MIC effectively inhibited bacterial density. In summary, our combination treatments eradicated in vitro bacterial growth and sustained antimicrobial effects for 48 h. These results indicated the potential application of nebulization-based strategies for the combination treatment against MDR lung infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qixuan Hong
- Advanced Drug Delivery Group, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Rachel Yoon Kyung Chang
- Advanced Drug Delivery Group, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Omar Assafiri
- Advanced Drug Delivery Group, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | | | - Hak-Kim Chan
- Advanced Drug Delivery Group, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
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11
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Wang M, Zhang J, Wei J, Jiang L, Jiang L, Sun Y, Zeng Z, Wang Z. Phage-inspired strategies to combat antibacterial resistance. Crit Rev Microbiol 2024; 50:196-211. [PMID: 38400715 DOI: 10.1080/1040841x.2023.2181056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in clinically priority pathogensis now a major threat to public health worldwide. Phages are bacterial parasites that efficiently infect or kill specific strains and represent the most abundant biological entities on earth, showing great attraction as potential antibacterial therapeutics in combating AMR. This review provides a summary of phage-inspired strategies to combat AMR. We firstly cover the phage diversity, and then explain the biological principles of phage therapy that support the use of phages in the post-antimicrobial era. Furthermore, we state the versatility methods of phage therapy both from direct access as well as collateral access. Among the direct access approaches, we discuss the use of phage cocktail therapy, phage-encoded endolysins and the bioengineering for function improvement of used phages or endolysins. On the other hand, we introduce the collateral access, including the phages antimicrobial immunity combined therapy and phage-based novel antibacterial mimic molecules. Nowadays, more and more talented and enthusiastic scientist, doctors, pharmacists, media, authorities, and industry are promoting the progress of phage therapy, and proposed more phages-inspired strategy to make them more tractable to combat AMR and benefit more people, more animal and diverse environment in "one health" framework.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mianzhi Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Junxuan Zhang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- National Risk Assessment Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance of Animal Original Bacteria, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jingyi Wei
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Lei Jiang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Li Jiang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Yongxue Sun
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- National Risk Assessment Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance of Animal Original Bacteria, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhenling Zeng
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- National Risk Assessment Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance of Animal Original Bacteria, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhiqiang Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou, China
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12
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Nordstrom HR, Griffith MP, Rangachar Srinivasa V, Wallace NR, Li A, Cooper VS, Shields RK, Van Tyne D. Harnessing the Diversity of Burkholderia spp. Prophages for Therapeutic Potential. Cells 2024; 13:428. [PMID: 38474392 PMCID: PMC10931425 DOI: 10.3390/cells13050428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2024] [Revised: 02/24/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Burkholderia spp. are often resistant to antibiotics, and infections with these organisms are difficult to treat. A potential alternative treatment for Burkholderia spp. infections is bacteriophage (phage) therapy; however, it can be difficult to locate phages that target these bacteria. Prophages incorporated into the bacterial genome have been identified within Burkholderia spp. and may represent a source of useful phages for therapy. Here, we investigate whether prophages within Burkholderia spp. clinical isolates can kill conspecific and heterospecific isolates. Thirty-two Burkholderia spp. isolates were induced for prophage release, and harvested phages were tested for lytic activity against the same 32 isolates. Temperate phages were passaged and their host ranges were determined, resulting in four unique phages of prophage origin that showed different ranges of lytic activity. We also analyzed the prophage content of 35 Burkholderia spp. clinical isolate genomes and identified several prophages present in the genomes of multiple isolates of the same species. Finally, we observed that Burkholdera cenocepacia isolates were more phage-susceptible than Burkholderia multivorans isolates. Overall, our findings suggest that prophages present within Burkholderia spp. genomes are a potentially useful starting point for the isolation and development of novel phages for use in phage therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hayley R. Nordstrom
- Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Marissa P. Griffith
- Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | | | - Nathan R. Wallace
- Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Anna Li
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Vaughn S. Cooper
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- Center for Evolutionary Biology and Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Ryan K. Shields
- Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Daria Van Tyne
- Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- Center for Evolutionary Biology and Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
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13
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Nordstrom HR, Griffith MP, Srinivasa VR, Wallace NR, Li A, Cooper VS, Shields RK, Van Tyne D. Harnessing the diversity of Burkholderia spp. prophages for therapeutic potential. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.24.577087. [PMID: 38328162 PMCID: PMC10849711 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.24.577087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Burkholderia spp. are often resistant to antibiotics, and infections with these organisms are difficult to treat. A potential alternative treatment for Burkholderia spp. infections is bacteriophage (phage) therapy; however, it can be difficult to locate phages that target these bacteria. Prophages incorporated into the bacterial genome have been identified within Burkholderia spp. and may represent a source of useful phages for therapy. Here we investigate whether prophages within Burkholderia spp. clinical isolates can kill conspecific and heterospecific isolates. Thirty-two Burkholderia spp. isolates were induced for prophage release, and harvested prophages were tested for lytic activity against the same 32 isolates. Lytic phages were passaged and their host ranges were determined, resulting in four unique phages of prophage origin that showed different ranges of lytic activity. We also analyzed the prophage content of 35 Burkholderia spp. clinical isolate genomes, and identified several prophages present in the genomes of multiple isolates of the same species. Finally, we observed that B. cenocepacia isolates were more phage-susceptible than Burkholderia multivorans isolates. Overall, our findings suggest that prophages present within Burkholderia spp. genomes are a potentially useful starting point for the isolation and development of novel phages for use in phage therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hayley R. Nordstrom
- Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Marissa P. Griffith
- Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | | | - Nathan R. Wallace
- Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Anna Li
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Vaughn S. Cooper
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- Center for Evolutionary Biology and Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Ryan K. Shields
- Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Daria Van Tyne
- Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- Center for Evolutionary Biology and Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
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14
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Lyu S, Xiong F, Qi T, Shen W, Guo Q, Han M, Liu L, Bu W, Yuan J, Lou B. Isolation and characterization of a novel temperate bacteriophage infecting Aeromonas hydrophila isolated from a Macrobrachium rosenbergii larvae pond. Virus Res 2024; 339:199279. [PMID: 37992971 PMCID: PMC10709362 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2023.199279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
Aeromonas hydrophila is an opportunistic pathogen that frequently leads to significant mortality in various commercially cultured aquatic species. Bacteriophages offer an alternative strategy for pathogens elimination. In this study, we isolated, identified, and characterized a novel temperate A. hydrophila phage, designated as P05B. The bacteriophage P05B is a myovirus based on its morphological features, and possesses the capability to lyse A. hydrophila strains isolated from shrimp. The optimal multiplicity of infection (MOI), adsorption rate, latent period, and burst size for phage P05B were determined to be 0.001, 91.7 %, 20 min, and 483 PFU/cell, respectively. Phage P05B displayed stability across a range of temperatures (28-50 °C) and pH values (4.0-10.0). Sequence analysis unveiled that the genome of phage P05B comprises 32,302 base pairs with an average G + C content of 59.4 %. A total of 40 open reading frames (ORF) were encoded within the phage P05B genome. The comparative genomic analyses clearly implied that P05B might represent a novel species of the genus Bielevirus under Peduoviridae family. A phylogenetic tree was reconstructed, demonstrating that P05B shares a close evolutionary relationship with other Aeromonas and Aeromonas phages. In conclusion, this study increased our knowledge about a new temperate phage of A. hydrophila with strong lytic ability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunjian Lyu
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Institute of Hydrobiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 198, Shiqiao Rd, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310021, PR China
| | - Fulei Xiong
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Institute of Hydrobiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 198, Shiqiao Rd, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310021, PR China
| | - Tianpeng Qi
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, PR China
| | - Weifeng Shen
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Institute of Hydrobiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 198, Shiqiao Rd, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310021, PR China
| | - Qi Guo
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Institute of Hydrobiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 198, Shiqiao Rd, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310021, PR China
| | - Mingming Han
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Institute of Hydrobiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 198, Shiqiao Rd, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310021, PR China
| | - Li Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Institute of Hydrobiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 198, Shiqiao Rd, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310021, PR China.
| | - Weishao Bu
- Yunhe County Qingjiang ecological breeding cooperative, Shipu Village, Jinshuitan Town, Yunhe County, Lishui, Zhejiang, 310018, PR China
| | - Julin Yuan
- Agriculture Ministry Key Laboratory of Healthy Freshwater Aquaculture, Key Laboratory of Fish Health and Nutrition of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Institute of Freshwater Fisheries, 999 South Hangchangqiao Road, Huzhou, Zhejiang, 313001, PR China
| | - Bao Lou
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Institute of Hydrobiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 198, Shiqiao Rd, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310021, PR China
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15
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Ruest MK, Supina BSI, Dennis JJ. Bacteriophage steering of Burkholderia cenocepacia toward reduced virulence and increased antibiotic sensitivity. J Bacteriol 2023; 205:e0019623. [PMID: 37791751 PMCID: PMC10601696 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00196-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance in bacteria is a growing global concern and has spurred increasing efforts to find alternative therapeutics, such as the use of bacterial viruses, or bacteriophages. One promising approach is to use phages that not only kill pathogenic bacteria but also select phage-resistant survivors that are newly sensitized to traditional antibiotics, in a process called "phage steering." Members of the bacterial genus Burkholderia, which includes various human pathogens, are highly resistant to most antimicrobial agents, including serum immune components, antimicrobial peptides, and polymixin-class antibiotics. However, the application of phages in combination with certain antibiotics can produce synergistic effects that more effectively kill pathogenic bacteria. Herein, we demonstrate that Burkholderia cenocepacia serum resistance is due to intact lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and membranes, and phage-induced resistance altering LPS structure can enhance bacterial sensitivity not only to immune components in serum but also to membrane-associated antibiotics such as colistin. IMPORTANCE Bacteria frequently encounter selection pressure from both antibiotics and lytic phages, but little is known about the interactions between antibiotics and phages. This study provides new insights into the evolutionary trade-offs between phage resistance and antibiotic sensitivity. The creation of phage resistance through changes in membrane structure or lipopolysaccharide composition can simultaneously be a major cause of antibiotic sensitivity. Our results provide evidence of synergistic therapeutic efficacy in phage-antibiotic interactions and have implications for the future clinical use of phage steering in phage therapy applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta K. Ruest
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | | | - Jonathan J. Dennis
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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16
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Bulssico J, PapukashvilI I, Espinosa L, Gandon S, Ansaldi M. Phage-antibiotic synergy: Cell filamentation is a key driver of successful phage predation. PLoS Pathog 2023; 19:e1011602. [PMID: 37703280 PMCID: PMC10519598 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Phages are promising tools to fight antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and as for now, phage therapy is essentially performed in combination with antibiotics. Interestingly, combined treatments including phages and a wide range of antibiotics lead to an increased bacterial killing, a phenomenon called phage-antibiotic synergy (PAS), suggesting that antibiotic-induced changes in bacterial physiology alter the dynamics of phage propagation. Using single-phage and single-cell techniques, each step of the lytic cycle of phage HK620 was studied in E. coli cultures treated with either ceftazidime, cephalexin or ciprofloxacin, three filamentation-inducing antibiotics. In the presence of sublethal doses of antibiotics, multiple stress tolerance and DNA repair pathways are triggered following activation of the SOS response. One of the most notable effects is the inhibition of bacterial division. As a result, a significant fraction of cells forms filaments that stop dividing but have higher rates of mutagenesis. Antibiotic-induced filaments become easy targets for phages due to their enlarged surface areas, as demonstrated by fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry techniques. Adsorption, infection and lysis occur more often in filamentous cells compared to regular-sized bacteria. In addition, the reduction in bacterial numbers caused by impaired cell division may account for the faster elimination of bacteria during PAS. We developed a mathematical model to capture the interaction between sublethal doses of antibiotics and exposition to phages. This model shows that the induction of filamentation by sublethal doses of antibiotics can amplify the replication of phages and therefore yield PAS. We also use this model to study the consequences of PAS on the emergence of antibiotic resistance. A significant percentage of hyper-mutagenic filamentous bacteria are effectively killed by phages due to their increased susceptibility to infection. As a result, the addition of even a very low number of bacteriophages produced a strong reduction of the mutagenesis rate of the entire bacterial population. We confirm this prediction experimentally using reporters for bacterial DNA repair. Our work highlights the multiple benefits associated with the combination of sublethal doses of antibiotics with bacteriophages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julián Bulssico
- Laboratoire de Chimie Bactérienne, UMR7283, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France
| | - Irina PapukashvilI
- Laboratoire de Chimie Bactérienne, UMR7283, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France
- Faculty of Exact and Natural Sciences, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - Leon Espinosa
- Laboratoire de Chimie Bactérienne, UMR7283, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France
| | - Sylvain Gandon
- CEFE, CNRS, Univ Montpellier, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Mireille Ansaldi
- Laboratoire de Chimie Bactérienne, UMR7283, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France
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17
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Khong E, Oh J, Jimenez JM, Liu R, Dunham S, Monsibais A, Rhoads A, Ghatbale P, Garcia A, Cobián Güemes AG, Blanc AN, Chiu M, Kuo P, Proost M, Kline A, Aslam S, Schooley RT, Whiteson K, Fraley SI, Pride DT. A simple solid media assay for detection of synergy between bacteriophages and antibiotics. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.23.554535. [PMID: 37662290 PMCID: PMC10473724 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.23.554535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
The emergence of antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) has necessitated the development of alternative therapies to deal with this global threat. Bacteriophages (viruses that target bacteria) that kill ARB are one such alternative. While phages have been used clinically for decades with inconsistent results, a number of recent advances in phage selection, propagation and purification have enabled a reevaluation of their utility in contemporary clinical medicine. In most phage therapy cases, phages are administered in combination with antibiotics to ensure that patients receive the standard-of-care treatment. Some phages may work cooperatively with antibiotics to eradicate ARB, as often determined using non-standardized broth assays. We sought to develop a solid media-based assay to assess cooperativity between antibiotics and phages to offer a standardized platform for such testing. We modeled the interactions that occur between antibiotics and phages on solid medium to measure additive, antagonistic, and synergistic interactions. We then tested the method using different bacterial isolates, and identified a number of isolates where synergistic interactions were identified. These interactions were not dependent on the specific organism, phage family, or antibiotic used. A priori susceptibility to the antibiotic or the specific phage were not requirements to observe synergistic interactions. Our data also confirm the potential for the restoration of vancomycin to treat Vancomycin Resistant Enterococcus (VRE) when used in combination with phages. Solid media assays for the detection of cooperative interactions between antibiotics and phages can be an accessible technique adopted by clinical laboratories to evaluate antibiotic and phage choices in phage therapy.
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18
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Umansky AA, Fortier LC. The long and sinuous road to phage-based therapy of Clostridioides difficile infections. Front Med (Lausanne) 2023; 10:1259427. [PMID: 37680620 PMCID: PMC10481535 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1259427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
With the antibiotic crisis and the rise in antimicrobial resistance worldwide, new therapeutic alternatives are urgently needed. Phage therapy represents one of the most promising alternatives but for some pathogens, such as Clostridioides difficile, important challenges are being faced. The perspective of phage therapy to treat C. difficile infections is complicated by the fact that no strictly lytic phages have been identified so far, and current temperate phages generally have a narrow host range. C. difficile also harbors multiple antiphage mechanisms, and the bacterial genome is often a host of one or multiple prophages that can interfere with lytic phage infection. Nevertheless, due to recent advances in phage host receptor recognition and improvements in genetic tools to manipulate phage genomes, it is now conceivable to genetically engineer C. difficile phages to make them suitable for phage therapy. Other phage-based alternatives such as phage endolysins and phage tail-like bacteriocins (avidocins) are also being investigated but these approaches also have their own limitations and challenges. Last but not least, C. difficile produces spores that are resistant to phage attacks and all current antibiotics, and this complicates therapeutic interventions. This mini-review gives a brief historical overview of phage work that has been carried out in C. difficile, presents recent advances in the field, and addresses the most important challenges that are being faced, with potential solutions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Louis Charles Fortier
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
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19
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Shariati A, Noei M, Chegini Z. Bacteriophages: The promising therapeutic approach for enhancing ciprofloxacin efficacy against bacterial infection. J Clin Lab Anal 2023:e24932. [PMID: 37377167 PMCID: PMC10388223 DOI: 10.1002/jcla.24932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The emergence of ciprofloxacin-resistant bacteria is a serious challenge worldwide, bringing the need to find new approaches to manage this bacterium. Bacteriophages (phages) have been shown inhibitory effects against ciprofloxacin-resistance bacteria; thus, ciprofloxacin resistance or tolerance may not affect the phage's infection ability. Additionally, researchers used phage-ciprofloxacin combination therapy for the inhibition of multidrug-resistant bacteria. RESULTS The sublethal concentrations of ciprofloxacin could lead to an increase in progeny production. Antibiotic treatments could enhance the release of progeny phages by shortening the lytic cycle and latent period. Thus, sublethal concentrations of antibiotics combined with phages can be used for the management of bacterial infections with high antibiotic resistance. In addition, combination therapy exerts various selection pressures that can mutually decrease phage and antibiotic resistance. Moreover, phage ciprofloxacin could significantly reduce bacterial counts in the biofilm community. Immediate usage of phages after the attachment of bacteria to the surface of the flow cells, before the development of micro-colonies, could lead to the best effect of phage therapy against bacterial biofilm. Noteworthy, phage should be used before antibiotics usage because this condition may have allowed phage replication to occur first before ciprofloxacin interrupted the bacterial DNA replication process, thereby interfering with the activity of the phages. Furthermore, the phage-ciprofloxacin combination showed a promising result for the management of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections in mouse models. Nevertheless, low data are existing about the interaction between phages and ciprofloxacin in combination therapies, especially regarding the emergence of phage-resistant mutants. Additionally, there is a challenging and important question of how the combined ciprofloxacin with phages can increase antibacterial functions. Therefore, more examinations are required to support the clinical usage of phage-ciprofloxacin combination therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aref Shariati
- Molecular and Medicine Research Centre, Khomein University of Medical Sciences, Khomein, Iran
| | - Milad Noei
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Advanced Science and Technology, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Zahra Chegini
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
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20
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Santamaría-Corral G, Senhaji-Kacha A, Broncano-Lavado A, Esteban J, García-Quintanilla M. Bacteriophage-Antibiotic Combination Therapy against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:1089. [PMID: 37508185 PMCID: PMC10376841 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12071089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Phage therapy is an alternative therapy that is being used as the last resource against infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria after the failure of standard treatments. Pseudomonas aeruginosa can cause pneumonia, septicemia, urinary tract, and surgery site infections mainly in immunocompromised people, although it can cause infections in many different patient profiles. Cystic fibrosis patients are particularly vulnerable. In vitro and in vivo studies of phage therapy against P. aeruginosa include both bacteriophages alone and combined with antibiotics. However, the former is the most promising strategy utilized in clinical infections. This review summarizes the recent studies of phage-antibiotic combinations, highlighting the synergistic effects of in vitro and in vivo experiments and successful treatments in patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Abrar Senhaji-Kacha
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, IIS-Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Av. Reyes Católicos 2, 28040 Madrid, Spain
- CIBERINFEC-Infectious Diseases CIBER, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Antonio Broncano-Lavado
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, IIS-Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Av. Reyes Católicos 2, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Jaime Esteban
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, IIS-Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Av. Reyes Católicos 2, 28040 Madrid, Spain
- CIBERINFEC-Infectious Diseases CIBER, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Meritxell García-Quintanilla
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, IIS-Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Av. Reyes Católicos 2, 28040 Madrid, Spain
- CIBERINFEC-Infectious Diseases CIBER, 28029 Madrid, Spain
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Lauman P, Dennis JJ. Synergistic Interactions among Burkholderia cepacia Complex-Targeting Phages Reveal a Novel Therapeutic Role for Lysogenization-Capable Phages. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0443022. [PMID: 37195168 PMCID: PMC10269493 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.04430-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance is a danger to global public health and threatens many aspects of modern medicine. Bacterial species such as those of the Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) cause life-threatening respiratory infections and are highly resistant to antibiotics. One promising alternative being explored to combat Bcc infections is phage therapy (PT): the use of phages to treat bacterial infections. Unfortunately, the utility of PT against many pathogenic species is limited by its prevailing paradigm: that only obligately lytic phages should be used therapeutically. It is thought that 'lysogenic' phages do not lyse all bacteria and can transfer antimicrobial resistance or virulence factors to their hosts. We argue that the tendency of a lysogenization-capable (LC) phage to form stable lysogens is not predicated exclusively on its ability to do so, and that the therapeutic suitability of a phage must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Concordantly, we developed several novel metrics-Efficiency of Phage Activity, Growth Reduction Coefficient, and Stable Lysogenization Frequency-and used them to evaluate eight Bcc-specific phages. Although these parameters vary considerably among Bcc phages, a strong inverse correlation (R2 = 0.67; P < 0.0001) exists between lysogen formation and antibacterial activity, indicating that certain LC phages with low frequency of stable lysogenization may be therapeutically efficacious. Moreover, we show that many LC Bcc phages interact synergistically with other phages in the first reported instance of mathematically defined polyphage synergy, and that these interactions result in the eradication of in vitro bacterial growth. Together, these findings reveal a novel therapeutic role for LC phages and challenge the current paradigm of PT. IMPORTANCE The spread of antimicrobial resistance is an imminent threat to public health around the world. Particularly concerning are species of the Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc), which cause life-threatening respiratory infections and are notoriously resistant to antibiotics. Phage therapy is a promising alternative being explored to combat Bcc infections and antimicrobial resistance in general, but its utility against many pathogenic species, including the Bcc, is restricted by the currently prevailing paradigm of exclusively using rare obligately lytic phages due to the perception that 'lysogenic' phages are therapeutically unsuitable. Our findings show that many lysogenization-capable phages exhibit powerful in vitro antibacterial activity both alone and through mathematically defined synergistic interactions with other phages, demonstrating a novel therapeutic role for LC phages and therefore challenging the currently prevailing paradigm of PT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip Lauman
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Jonathan J. Dennis
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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22
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Lang J, Zhen J, Li G, Li B, Xie J. Characterization and genome analysis of G1 sub-cluster mycobacteriophage Lang. INFECTION, GENETICS AND EVOLUTION : JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY AND EVOLUTIONARY GENETICS IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2023; 109:105417. [PMID: 36804468 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2023.105417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
Phage therapy is revitalized as an alternative to antibiotics therapy against antimicrobials resistant pathogens. Mycobacteriophages are genetically diverse viruses that can specifically infect Mycobacterium genus including Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium smegmatis. Here, we isolated and annotated the genome of a mycobacteriophage Lang, a temperate mycobacteriophage isolated from the soil of Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China, by using Mycolicibacterium smegmatis mc2 155 as the host. It belongs to the Siphoviridae family of Caudovirales as determined by transmission electron microscopy. The morphological characteristics and certain biological properties of the phage were considered in detail. Phage Lang genomes is 41,487 bp in length with 66.85% GC content and encodes 60 putative open reading frames and belongs to the G1 sub-cluster. Genome annotation indicated that genes for structure proteins, assembly proteins, replications/transcription and lysis of the host are present in function clucters. The genome sequence of phage Lang is more than 95% similar to that of mycobacteriophage Grizzly and Sweets, differing in substitutions, insertions and deletions in Lang. One-step growth curve revealed that Lang has a latent period of 30 min and a outbreak period of 90 min. The short latent period and rapid outbreak mark the unique properties of phage Lang, which can be another potential source for combating M. tuberculosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junying Lang
- Tuberculosis Department of Hohhot Second Hospital, Inner Mongolia, 010020, China; Hohhot Tuberculosis Prevention and Control Institute, Inner Mongolia, 010020, China
| | - Junfeng Zhen
- Institute of Modern Biopharmaceuticals, State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Eco-Environment and Bio-Resource of the Three Gorges Area, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education Eco-Environment of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Guimei Li
- Tuberculosis Department of Hohhot Second Hospital, Inner Mongolia, 010020, China
| | - Bin Li
- Intensive Care Medicine Department of Hohhot First Hospital, Inner Mongolia, 010020, China
| | - Jianping Xie
- Institute of Modern Biopharmaceuticals, State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Eco-Environment and Bio-Resource of the Three Gorges Area, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education Eco-Environment of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China.
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23
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Disarm The Bacteria: What Temperate Phages Can Do. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2023; 45:1149-1167. [PMID: 36826021 PMCID: PMC9955262 DOI: 10.3390/cimb45020076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Revised: 01/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
In the field of phage applications and clinical treatment, virulent phages have been in the spotlight whereas temperate phages received, relatively speaking, less attention. The fact that temperate phages often carry virulent or drug-resistant genes is a constant concern and drawback in temperate phage applications. However, temperate phages also play a role in bacterial regulation. This review elucidates the biological properties of temperate phages based on their life cycle and introduces the latest work on temperate phage applications, such as on host virulence reduction, biofilm degradation, genetic engineering and phage display. The versatile use of temperate phages coupled with their inherent properties, such as economy, ready accessibility, wide variety and host specificity, make temperate phages a solid candidate in tackling bacterial infections.
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24
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Kim Y, Lee SM, Nong LK, Kim J, Kim SB, Kim D. Characterization of Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteriophages, KP1 and KP12, with deep learning-based structure prediction. Front Microbiol 2023; 13:990910. [PMID: 36762092 PMCID: PMC9902359 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.990910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Concerns over Klebsiella pneumoniae resistance to the last-line antibiotic treatment have prompted a reconsideration of bacteriophage therapy in public health. Biotechnological application of phages and their gene products as an alternative to antibiotics necessitates the understanding of their genomic context. This study sequenced, annotated, characterized, and compared two Klebsiella phages, KP1 and KP12. Physiological validations identified KP1 and KP12 as members of Myoviridae family. Both phages showed that their activities were stable in a wide range of pH and temperature. They exhibit a host specificity toward K. pneumoniae with a broad intraspecies host range. General features of genome size, coding density, percentage GC content, and phylogenetic analyses revealed that these bacteriophages are distantly related. Phage lytic proteins (endolysin, anti-/holin, spanin) identified by the local alignment against different databases, were subjected to further bioinformatic analyses including three-dimensional (3D) structure prediction by AlphaFold. AlphaFold models of phage lysis proteins were consistent with the published X-ray crystal structures, suggesting the presence of T4-like and P1/P2-like bacteriophage lysis proteins in KP1 and KP12, respectively. By providing the primary sequence information, this study contributes novel bacteriophages for research and development pipelines of phage therapy that ultimately, cater to the unmet clinical and industrial needs against K. pneumoniae pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youngju Kim
- Optipharm Inc., Cheongju-si, Chungcheongbuk-do, Republic of Korea,Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, College of Biological Science and Biotechnology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang-Mok Lee
- School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan, Republic of Korea
| | - Linh Khanh Nong
- School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaehyung Kim
- School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Bum Kim
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, College of Biological Science and Biotechnology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Donghyuk Kim
- School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan, Republic of Korea,*Correspondence: Donghyuk Kim,
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25
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Molina-Quiroz RC, Camilli A, Silva-Valenzuela CA. Role of Bacteriophages in the Evolution of Pathogenic Vibrios and Lessons for Phage Therapy. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2023; 1404:149-173. [PMID: 36792875 PMCID: PMC10587905 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-22997-8_8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
Viruses of bacteria, i.e., bacteriophages (or phages for short), were discovered over a century ago and have played a major role as a model system for the establishment of the fields of microbial genetics and molecular biology. Despite the relative simplicity of phages, microbiologists are continually discovering new aspects of their biology including mechanisms for battling host defenses. In turn, novel mechanisms of host defense against phages are being discovered at a rapid clip. A deeper understanding of the arms race between bacteria and phages will continue to reveal novel molecular mechanisms and will be important for the rational design of phage-based prophylaxis and therapies to prevent and treat bacterial infections, respectively. Here we delve into the molecular interactions of Vibrio species and phages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto C Molina-Quiroz
- Stuart B. Levy Center for Integrated Management of Antimicrobial Resistance (Levy CIMAR), Tufts Medical Center and Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Andrew Camilli
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University, School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
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26
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Zhou D, Huang G, Xu G, Xiang L, Huang S, Chen X, Zhang Y, Wang D. CRISPRi-Mediated Gene Suppression Reveals Putative Reverse Transcriptase Gene PA0715 to Be a Global Regulator of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Infect Drug Resist 2022; 15:7577-7599. [PMID: 36579125 PMCID: PMC9792118 DOI: 10.2147/idr.s384980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a common pathogen of infection in burn and trauma patients, and multi-drug resistant P. aeruginosa has become an increasingly important pathogen. Essential genes are key to the development of novel antibiotics. The PA0715 gene is a novel unidentified essential gene that has attracted our interest as a potential antibiotic target. Our study aims to determine the exact role of PA0715 in cell physiology and bacterial pathogenicity, providing important clues for antibiotic development. Patients and Methods The shuttle vector pHERD20T containing an arabinose inducible promoter was used to construct the CRISPRi system. Alterations in cellular physiology and bacterial pathogenicity of P. aeruginosa PAO1 after PA0715 inhibition were characterized. High-throughput RNA-seq was performed to gain more insight into the mechanisms by which PA0715 regulates the vital activity of P. aeruginosa. Results We found that down-regulation of PA0715 significantly reduced PAO1 growth rate, motility and chemotaxis, antibiotic resistance, pyocyanin and biofilm production. In addition, PA0715 inhibition reduced the pathogenicity of PAO1 to the greater galleria mellonella larvae. Transcriptional profiling identified 1757 genes including those related to amino acid, carbohydrate, ketone body and organic salt metabolism, whose expression was directly or indirectly controlled by PA0715. Unexpectedly, genes involved in oxidative phosphorylation also varied with PA0715 levels, and these findings support a hitherto unrecognized critical role for PA0715 in oxidative respiration in P. aeruginosa. Conclusion We identified PA0715 as a global regulator of the metabolic network that is indispensable for the survival and reproduction of P. aeruginosa. Our results provide a basis for future studies of potential antibiotic targets for P. aeruginosa and offer new ideas for P. aeruginosa infection control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dapeng Zhou
- Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, People’s Republic of China
- The Collaborative Innovation Center of Tissue Damage Repair and Regeneration Medicine of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, People’s Republic of China
| | - Guangtao Huang
- Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, People’s Republic of China
- The Collaborative Innovation Center of Tissue Damage Repair and Regeneration Medicine of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Burn and Plastic Surgery, Department of Wound Repair, Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Guangchao Xu
- Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, People’s Republic of China
- The Collaborative Innovation Center of Tissue Damage Repair and Regeneration Medicine of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, People’s Republic of China
| | - Lijuan Xiang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, People’s Republic of China
| | - Siyi Huang
- Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, People’s Republic of China
- The Collaborative Innovation Center of Tissue Damage Repair and Regeneration Medicine of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xinchong Chen
- Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, People’s Republic of China
- The Collaborative Innovation Center of Tissue Damage Repair and Regeneration Medicine of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yixin Zhang
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Dali Wang
- Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, People’s Republic of China
- The Collaborative Innovation Center of Tissue Damage Repair and Regeneration Medicine of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, People’s Republic of China
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27
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Yuan S, Shi J, Jiang J, Ma Y. Genome-scale top-down strategy to generate viable genome-reduced phages. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:13183-13197. [PMID: 36511873 PMCID: PMC9825161 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac1168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Efforts have been made to reduce the genomes of living cells, but phage genome reduction remains challenging. It is of great interest to investigate whether genome reduction can make phages obtain new infectious properties. We developed a CRISPR/Cas9-based iterative phage genome reduction (CiPGr) approach and applied this to four distinct phages, thereby obtaining heterogeneous genome-reduced mutants. We isolated and sequenced 200 mutants with loss of up to 8-23% (3.3-35 kbp) of the original sequences. This allowed the identification of non-essential genes for phage propagation, although loss of these genes is mostly detrimental to phage fitness to various degrees. Notwithstanding this, mutants with higher infectious efficiency than their parental strains were characterized, indicating a trade-off between genome reduction and infectious fitness for phages. In conclusion, this study provides a foundation for future work to leverage the information generated by CiPGr in phage synthetic biology research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengjian Yuan
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Juan Shi
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Jianrong Jiang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Yingfei Ma
- To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: +86 755 8639 2674;
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Lee HJ, Kim HJ, Lee SJ. Control of λ Lysogenic Escherichia coli Cells by Synthetic λ Phage Carrying cIantisense. ACS Synth Biol 2022; 11:3829-3835. [PMID: 36326101 PMCID: PMC9680875 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.2c00409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Enterobacterial phage λ is a temperate phage that infects Escherichia coli and has a lytic-lysogenic life cycle. CI, a λ repressor, regulates the expression of lytic transcripts and acts as a major genetic switch that determines the lysogenic state. To manipulate the genome of phage λ, the CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing system was constructed in lysogenic E. coli MG1655 cells. For instance, we successfully changed cI857 to cIWT in the phage genome through Cas9-mediated single-nucleotide editing. A lytic phage was prepared by introducing an amber mutation in the middle of the cI gene, but it could not lyse lysogenic MG1655 cells. We prepared a phage expressing cI antisense mRNA by reverse substitution of the cI gene. Lysis of λ cI857 lysogenic cells occurred by the infection of the λ cIantisense. These results suggest an effective lysogenic cell control method by a synthetic phage expressing antisense mRNA of the genetic switch gene. It is expected to be applied as a tool to control harmful lysogenic microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ho Joung Lee
- Department of Systems Biotechnology
and Institute of Microbiomics, Chung-Ang
University, Anseong 17546, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun Ju Kim
- Department of Systems Biotechnology
and Institute of Microbiomics, Chung-Ang
University, Anseong 17546, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Jun Lee
- Department of Systems Biotechnology
and Institute of Microbiomics, Chung-Ang
University, Anseong 17546, Republic of Korea
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29
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Characteristics of a novel temperate bacteriophage against Staphylococcus arlettae (vB_SarS_BM31). Int Microbiol 2022; 26:327-341. [PMID: 36336729 PMCID: PMC9638216 DOI: 10.1007/s10123-022-00292-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Revised: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Staphylococcus arlettae is a rarely reported coagulase-negative staphylococcus (CoNS) isolated from infected humans and livestock. Observing phage-bacteria interaction could improve the understanding of bacterial pathogenetic mechanisms, providing foundational evidence for phage therapy or phage detection. Herein, we aimed to characterise and annotate a novel bacteriophage, vB_SarS_BM31 (BM31), specific to S. arlettae. This bacteriophage was isolated from a milk sample associated with bovine mastitis and collected in the Sichuan Province, China. RESULTS The BM31 genome comprised a linear double-stranded DNA of 42,271 base pair in length with a G + C content of 34.59%. A total of 65 open reading frames (ORFs) were assembled from phage DNA, of which 29 were functionally annotated. These functional genes were divided into four modules: the structural, DNA packing and replication, lysis, and lysogeny modules. Holin (ORF25), lysin (ORF26), and integrase (ORF28) were located closely in the entire BM31 genome and were important for lyse or lysogeny cycle of BM31. The phage was identified as a temperate phage according to whole genome analysis and life cycle assay, with basic biological characteristics such as small burst size, short latency period, and narrow host range, consistent with the characteristics of the family Siphoviridae, subcluster B14 of the Staphylococcus bacteriophage. CONCLUSIONS The present isolation and characterisation of BM31 contributes to the Staphylococcus bacteriophage database and provides a theoretical foundation for its potential applications. To the best of our knowledge, BM31 is the only shared and completely reported phage against S. arlettae in the entire public database.
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30
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Zhang L, Wang X, Hua X, Yu Y, Leptihn S, Loh B. Therapeutic evaluation of the Acinetobacter baumannii phage Phab24 for clinical use. Virus Res 2022; 320:198889. [PMID: 35970267 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2022.198889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Revised: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Phages have shown to be effective in treating bacterial infections. However, when evaluating the therapeutic potential of novel phage isolates which have the ability to infect and kill a pathogen, it is important to include parameters such as stability (crucial for storage and delivery), infection dynamics in vitro and in vivo (for efficacy and dosing), and an in-depth genome analysis (to exclude the presence of virulence or lysogeny genes), among others. In this study, we characterized bacteriophage Phab24, which infects a colistin-resistant strain of the notorious nosocomial pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii. Our study is crucial for the use of Phab24 in therapy, while also advancing our understanding of phage predation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liwei Zhang
- Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh (ZJU-UoE) Institute, Zhejiang University, International Campus, Haining, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiaoqing Wang
- School of Medicine, Lishui University, Lishui, China
| | - Xiaoting Hua
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Sir Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yunsong Yu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Sir Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Sebastian Leptihn
- Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh (ZJU-UoE) Institute, Zhejiang University, International Campus, Haining, Zhejiang, China; Department of Infectious Diseases, Sir Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China; University of Edinburgh Medical School, Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine & Veterinary Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, 1 George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, United Kingdom.
| | - Belinda Loh
- Department of Vaccines and Infection Models, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Perlickstrasse 1, Leipzig 04103, Germany.
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Abstract
EMBL-EBI The European Bioinformatics Institute; E. coli Escherichia coli; E. faecalis Enterobacter faecalis; B. fragilis Bacteroides fragilis; B. vulgatus Bacteroides vulgatus; SaPIs Staphylococcus aureus pathogenicity islands; ARGs Antibiotic resistance genes; STEC Shiga toxigenic E. coli; Stx Shiga toxin; BLAST Basic Local Alignment Search Tool; TSST-1 Toxic shock toxin 1; RBPs Receptor-binding proteins; LPS lipopolysaccharide; OMVs Outer membrane vesicles; PT Phosphorothioate; BREX Bacteriophage exclusion; OCR Overcome classical restriction; Pgl Phage growth limitation; DISARM Defense island system associated with restrictionmodification; R-M system Restriction-modification system; BREX system Bacteriophage exclusion system; CRISPR Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats; Cas CRISPR-associated; PAMs Prospacer adjacent motifs; crRNA CRISPR RNA; SIE; OMPs; Superinfection exclusion; Outer membrane proteins; Abi Abortive infection; TA Toxin-antitoxin; TLR Toll-like receptor; APCs Antigen-presenting cells; DSS Dextran sulfate sodium; IELs Intraepithelial lymphocytes; FMT Fecal microbiota transfer; IFN-γ Interferon-gamma; IBD Inflammatory bowel disease; AgNPs Silver nanoparticles; MDSC Myeloid-derived suppressor cell; CRC Colorectal cancer; VLPs Virus-like particles; TMP Tape measure protein; PSMB4 Proteasome subunit beta type-4; ALD Alcohol-related liver disease; GVHD Graft-versus-host disease; ROS Reactive oxygen species; RA Rheumatoid arthritis; CCP Cyclic citrullinated protein; AMGs Accessory metabolic genes; T1DM Type 1 diabetes mellitus; T2DM Type 2 diabetes mellitus; SCFAs Short-chain fatty acids; GLP-1 Glucagon-like peptide-1; A. baumannii Acinetobacter baumannii; CpG Deoxycytidylinate-phosphodeoxyguanosine; PEG Polyethylene glycol; MetS Metabolic syndrome; OprM Outer membrane porin M.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Shuwen
- Department of Colorectal Surgery and Oncology, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, Ministry of Education, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China,Department of Medical Oncology, Huzhou Central Hospital, Huzhou, China
| | - Ding Kefeng
- Department of Colorectal Surgery and Oncology, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, Ministry of Education, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China,Department of Colorectal Surgery and Oncology, Cancer Center Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China,CONTACT Ding Kefeng Department of Colorectal Surgery and Oncology, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, Ministry of Education, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 88 Jiefang Road, Building 6 room 2018, Hangzhou, Zhejiang310009, China
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32
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Rendueles C, Escobedo S, Rodríguez A, Martínez B. Bacteriocin-phage interaction (BaPI): Phage predation of Lactococcus in the presence of bacteriocins. Microbiologyopen 2022; 11:e1308. [PMID: 36031956 PMCID: PMC9358928 DOI: 10.1002/mbo3.1308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophages infecting dairy starter bacteria are a leading cause of milk fermentation failure and strategies to reduce the risk of phage infection in dairy settings are demanded. Along with dairy starters, bacteriocin producers (protective cultures) or the direct addition of bacteriocins as biopreservatives may be applied in food to extend shelf‐life. In this work, we have studied the progress of infection of Lactococcus cremoris MG1363 by the phage sk1, in the presence of three bacteriocins with different modes of action: nisin, lactococcin A (LcnA), and lactococcin 972 (Lcn972). We aimed to reveal putative bacteriocin‐phage interactions (BaPI) that could be detrimental and increase the risk of fermentation failure due to phages. Based on infections in broth and solid media, a synergistic effect was observed with Lcn972. This positive sk1‐Lcn972 interaction could be correlated with an increased burst size. sk1‐Lcn972 BaPI occurred independently of a functional SOS and cell envelope stress response but was lost in the absence of the major autolysin AcmA. Furthermore, BaPI was not exclusive to the sk1‐Lcn972 pairing and could be observed with other phages and lactococcal strains. Therefore, bacteriocins may facilitate phage predation of dairy lactococci and their use should be carefully evaluated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Rendueles
- Department Technology and Biotechnology of Dairy Products, Instituto de Productos Lácteos de Asturias (IPLA), CSIC, Villaviciosa, Asturias, Spain
| | - Susana Escobedo
- Department Technology and Biotechnology of Dairy Products, Instituto de Productos Lácteos de Asturias (IPLA), CSIC, Villaviciosa, Asturias, Spain
| | - Ana Rodríguez
- Department Technology and Biotechnology of Dairy Products, Instituto de Productos Lácteos de Asturias (IPLA), CSIC, Villaviciosa, Asturias, Spain
| | - Beatriz Martínez
- Department Technology and Biotechnology of Dairy Products, Instituto de Productos Lácteos de Asturias (IPLA), CSIC, Villaviciosa, Asturias, Spain
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Characterization and Comparative Genomics Analysis of a New Bacteriophage BUCT610 against Klebsiella pneumoniae and Efficacy Assessment in Galleria mellonella Larvae. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23148040. [PMID: 35887393 PMCID: PMC9321532 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23148040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The spread of multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (MDR-KP) has become an emerging threat as a result of the overuse of antibiotics. Bacteriophage (phage) therapy is considered to be a promising alternative treatment for MDR-KP infection compared with antibiotic therapy. In this research, a lytic phage BUCT610 was isolated from hospital sewage. The assembled genome of BUCT610 was 46,774 bp in length, with a GC content of 48%. A total of 83 open reading frames (ORFs) and no virulence or antimicrobial resistance genes were annotated in the BUCT610 genome. Comparative genomics and phylogenetic analyses showed that BUCT610 was most closely linked with the Vibrio phage pYD38-A and shared 69% homology. In addition, bacteriophage BUCT610 exhibited excellent thermal stability (4–75 °C) and broad pH tolerance (pH 3–12) in the stability test. In vivo investigation results showed that BUCT610 significantly increased the survival rate of Klebsiella pneumonia-infected Galleria mellonella larvae from 13.33% to 83.33% within 72 h. In conclusion, these findings indicate that phage BUCT610 holds great promise as an alternative agent with excellent stability for the treatment of MDR-KP infection.
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Gu X, Huang D, Chen J, Li X, Zhou Y, Huang M, Liu Y, Yu P. Bacterial Inactivation and Biofilm Disruption through Indigenous Prophage Activation Using Low-Intensity Cold Atmospheric Plasma. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:8920-8931. [PMID: 35438974 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c01516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Biofilms can be pervasive and problematic in water treatment and distribution systems but are difficult to eradicate due to hindered penetration of antimicrobial chemicals. Here, we demonstrate that indigenous prophages activated by low-intensity plasma have the potential for efficient bacterial inactivation and biofilm disruption. Specifically, low-intensity plasma treatment (i.e., 35.20 W) elevated the intracellular oxidative reactive species (ROS) levels by 184%, resulting in the activation of prophage lambda (λ) within antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli K-12 (lambda+) [E. coli (λ+)]. The phage activation efficiency was 6.50-fold higher than the conventional mitomycin C induction. Following a cascading effect, the activated phages were released upon the lysis of E. coli (λ+), which propagated further and lysed phage-susceptible E. coli K-12 (lambda-) [E. coli (λ-)] within the biofilm. Bacterial intracellular ROS analysis and ROS scavenger tests revealed the importance of plasma-generated ROS (e.g., •OH, 1O2, and •O2-) and associated intracellular oxidative stress on prophage activation. In a mixed-species biofilm on a permeable membrane surface, our "inside-out" strategy could inactivate total bacteria by 49% and increase the membrane flux by 4.33-fold. Furthermore, the metagenomic analysis revealed that the decrease in bacterial abundance was closely associated with the increase in phage levels. As a proof-of-concept, this is the first demonstration of indigenous prophage activations by low-intensity plasma for antibiotic-resistant bacterial inactivation and biofilm eradication, which opens up a new avenue for managing associated microbial problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xia Gu
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Songjiang, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Dan Huang
- College of Environment and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Juhong Chen
- Department of Biological Systems Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061-0131, United States
| | - Xiang Li
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Songjiang, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Yongquan Zhou
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Songjiang, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Manhong Huang
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Songjiang, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Yanan Liu
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Songjiang, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Pingfeng Yu
- College of Environment and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
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35
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Gordillo Altamirano FL, Kostoulias X, Subedi D, Korneev D, Peleg AY, Barr JJ. Phage-antibiotic combination is a superior treatment against Acinetobacter baumannii in a preclinical study. EBioMedicine 2022; 80:104045. [PMID: 35537278 PMCID: PMC9097682 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2022.104045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Revised: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Clinical phage therapy is often delivered alongside antibiotics. However, the phenomenon of phage-antibiotic synergy has been mostly studied in vitro. Here, we assessed the in vivo bactericidal effect of a phage-antibiotic combination on Acinetobacter baumannii AB900 using phage øFG02, which binds to capsular polysaccharides and leads to antimicrobial resensitisation in vitro. METHODS We performed a two-stage preclinical study using a murine model of severe A. baumannii AB900 bacteraemia. In the first stage, with an endpoint of 11 h, mice (n = 4 per group) were treated with either PBS, ceftazidime, phage øFG02, or the combination of phage and ceftazidime. The second stage involved only the latter two groups (n = 5 per group), with a prolonged endpoint of 16 h. The primary outcome was the average bacterial burden from four body sites (blood, liver, kidney, and spleen). Bacterial colonies from phage-treated mice were retrieved and screened for phage-resistance. FINDINGS In the first stage, the bacterial burden (CFU/g of tissue) of the combination group (median: 4.55 × 105; interquartile range [IQR]: 2.79 × 105-2.81 × 106) was significantly lower than the PBS (median: 2.42 × 109; IQR: 1.97 × 109-3.48 × 109) and ceftazidime groups (median: 3.86 × 108; IQR: 2.15 × 108-6.35 × 108), but not the phage-only group (median: 1.28 × 107; IQR: 4.71 × 106-7.13 × 107). In the second stage, the combination treatment (median: 1.72 × 106; IQR: 5.11 × 105-4.00 × 106) outperformed the phage-only treatment (median: 7.46 × 107; IQR: 1.43 × 107-1.57 × 108). Phage-resistance emerged in 96% of animals receiving phages, and all the tested isolates (n = 11) had loss-of-function mutations in genes involved in capsule biosynthesis and increased sensitivity to ceftazidime. INTERPRETATION øFG02 reliably drives the in vivo evolution of A. baumannii AB900 towards a capsule-deficient, phage-resistant phenotype that is resensitised to ceftazidime. This mechanism highlights the clinical potential of using phage therapy to target A. baumannii and restore antibiotic activity. FUNDING National Health and Medical Research Council (Australia).
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando L Gordillo Altamirano
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; Centre to Impact AMR, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred Hospital and Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Xenia Kostoulias
- Centre to Impact AMR, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; Infection Program, Department of Microbiology Monash University, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Dinesh Subedi
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; Centre to Impact AMR, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Denis Korneev
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; Faculty of Science, School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Anton Y Peleg
- Centre to Impact AMR, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; Infection Program, Department of Microbiology Monash University, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred Hospital and Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Jeremy J Barr
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; Centre to Impact AMR, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
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Phage–Antibiotic Therapy as a Promising Strategy to Combat Multidrug-Resistant Infections and to Enhance Antimicrobial Efficiency. Antibiotics (Basel) 2022; 11:antibiotics11050570. [PMID: 35625214 PMCID: PMC9137994 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics11050570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Infections caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria have highlighted the importance of the development of new antimicrobial agents. While bacteriophages (phages) are widely studied as alternative agents to antibiotics, combined treatments using phages and antibiotics have exhibited Phage–Antibiotic Synergy (PAS), in which antibiotics promote phage replication and extraordinary antimicrobial efficacy with reduced development of bacterial resistance. This review paper on the current progress of phage–antibiotic therapy includes aspects of the mechanisms of PAS and the therapeutic performance of PAS in combating multidrug-resistant bacterial infections. The choice of phages and antibiotics, the administration time and sequence, and the concentrations of the two agents impact the bacterial inhibitory effects to different extents.
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Schwarz C, Mathieu J, Laverde Gomez JA, Yu P, Alvarez PJJ. Renaissance for Phage-Based Bacterial Control. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:4691-4701. [PMID: 34793127 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c06232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Bacteriophages (phages) are an underutilized biological resource with vast potential for pathogen control and microbiome editing. Phage research and commercialization have increased rapidly in biomedical and agricultural industries, but adoption has been limited elsewhere. Nevertheless, converging advances in DNA sequencing, bioinformatics, microbial ecology, and synthetic biology are now poised to broaden phage applications beyond pathogen control toward the manipulation of microbial communities for defined functional improvements. Enhancements in sequencing combined with network analysis make it now feasible to identify and disrupt microbial associations to elicit desirable shifts in community structure or function, indirectly modulate species abundance, and target hub or keystone species to achieve broad functional shifts. Sequencing and bioinformatic advancements are also facilitating the use of temperate phages for safe gene delivery applications. Finally, integration of synthetic biology stands to create novel phage chassis and modular genetic components. While some fundamental, regulatory, and commercialization barriers to widespread phage use remain, many major challenges that have impeded the field now have workable solutions. Thus, a new dawn for phage-based (chemical-free) precise biocontrol and microbiome editing is on the horizon to enhance, suppress, or modulate microbial activities important for public health, food security, and more sustainable energy production and water reuse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cory Schwarz
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
- Sentinel Environmental, Houston, Texas 77082, United States
| | - Jacques Mathieu
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
- Sentinel Environmental, Houston, Texas 77082, United States
| | - Jenny A Laverde Gomez
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
- Sentinel Environmental, Houston, Texas 77082, United States
| | - Pingfeng Yu
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Pedro J J Alvarez
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
- Sentinel Environmental, Houston, Texas 77082, United States
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38
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A Phage Foundry Framework to Systematically Develop Viral Countermeasures to Combat Antibiotic-Resistant Bacterial Pathogens. iScience 2022; 25:104121. [PMID: 35402883 PMCID: PMC8983348 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
At its current rate, the rise of antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) infections is predicted to paralyze our industries and healthcare facilities while becoming the leading global cause of loss of human life. With limited new antibiotics on the horizon, we need to invest in alternative solutions. Bacteriophages (phages)—viruses targeting bacteria—offer a powerful alternative approach to tackle bacterial infections. Despite recent advances in using phages to treat recalcitrant AMR infections, the field lacks systematic development of phage therapies scalable to different applications. We propose a Phage Foundry framework to establish metrics for phage characterization and to fill the knowledge and technological gaps in phage therapeutics. Coordinated investment in AMR surveillance, sampling, characterization, and data sharing procedures will enable rational exploitation of phages for treatments. A fully realized Phage Foundry will enhance the sharing of knowledge, technology, and viral reagents in an equitable manner and will accelerate the biobased economy.
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Łusiak-Szelachowska M, Międzybrodzki R, Drulis-Kawa Z, Cater K, Knežević P, Winogradow C, Amaro K, Jończyk-Matysiak E, Weber-Dąbrowska B, Rękas J, Górski A. Bacteriophages and antibiotic interactions in clinical practice: what we have learned so far. J Biomed Sci 2022; 29:23. [PMID: 35354477 PMCID: PMC8969238 DOI: 10.1186/s12929-022-00806-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophages (phages) may be used as an alternative to antibiotic therapy for combating infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria. In the last decades, there have been studies concerning the use of phages and antibiotics separately or in combination both in animal models as well as in humans. The phenomenon of phage–antibiotic synergy, in which antibiotics may induce the production of phages by bacterial hosts has been observed. The potential mechanisms of phage and antibiotic synergy was presented in this paper. Studies of a biofilm model showed that a combination of phages with antibiotics may increase removal of bacteria and sequential treatment, consisting of phage administration followed by an antibiotic, was most effective in eliminating biofilms. In vivo studies predominantly show the phenomenon of phage and antibiotic synergy. A few studies also describe antagonism or indifference between phages and antibiotics. Recent papers regarding the application of phages and antibiotics in patients with severe bacterial infections show the effectiveness of simultaneous treatment with both antimicrobials on the clinical outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marzanna Łusiak-Szelachowska
- Bacteriophage Laboratory, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, 53-114, Wrocław, Poland.
| | - Ryszard Międzybrodzki
- Bacteriophage Laboratory, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, 53-114, Wrocław, Poland.,Phage Therapy Unit, Medical Center of the Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, 53-114, Wrocław, Poland.,Department of Clinical Immunology, Transplantation Institute, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-006, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Zuzanna Drulis-Kawa
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, University of Wrocław, 51-148, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Kathryn Cater
- Rush University Medical Center, 1620 W. Harrison St., Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Petar Knežević
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, 21000, Novi Sad, Republic of Serbia
| | - Cyprian Winogradow
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | | | - Ewa Jończyk-Matysiak
- Bacteriophage Laboratory, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, 53-114, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Beata Weber-Dąbrowska
- Bacteriophage Laboratory, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, 53-114, Wrocław, Poland.,Phage Therapy Unit, Medical Center of the Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, 53-114, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Justyna Rękas
- Bacteriophage Laboratory, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, 53-114, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Andrzej Górski
- Bacteriophage Laboratory, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, 53-114, Wrocław, Poland.,Phage Therapy Unit, Medical Center of the Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, 53-114, Wrocław, Poland.,Infant Jesus Hospital, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-005, Warsaw, Poland
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40
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Mitigation of evolved bacterial resistance to phage therapy. Curr Opin Virol 2022; 53:101201. [PMID: 35180532 DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2022.101201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Revised: 12/31/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The ease with which bacteria can evolve resistance to phages is a key consideration for development of phage therapy. Here, we review recent work on the different evolutionary and ecological approaches to mitigate the problem. The approaches are broadly categorised into two areas: Minimising evolved phage resistance; and Directing phage-resistance evolution towards therapeutically beneficial outcomes.
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41
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Zhang L, Shahin K, Soleimani-Delfan A, Ding H, Wang H, Sun L, Wang R. Phage JS02, a putative temperate phage, a novel biofilm-degrading agent for Staphylococcus aureus. Lett Appl Microbiol 2022; 75:643-654. [PMID: 35100443 DOI: 10.1111/lam.13663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2021] [Revised: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is a biofilm-producing organism that is frequently isolated from various environments worldwide. Because of the natural resistance of S. aureus biofilm to antibiotics, bacteriophages are considered as a promising alternative for its removal. The bacteriophage vB_SauS_JS02 was isolated from livestock wastewater and showed activity against multidrug-resistant (MDR) S. aureus. The phage vB_SauS_JS02 exhibited broad host range and possessed a large burst size (52 PFU/CFU) as well as moderate pH stability (4-11) and appropriate thermal tolerance (40-50 ºC). Electron microscopy and genome sequence revealed that vB_SauS_JS02 belonged to Triavirus genus in Siphoviridae family. Genetic analysis of the 46 kb sequence of vB_SauS_JS02 revealed 66 ORFs. The predicted protein products of the ORFs were clustered functionally into five groups as follows: replication/regulation, DNA packaging, structure/morphogenesis, lysis, and lysogeny. Although the phage vB_SauS_JS02 was a temperate phage, it exhibited a higher inhibiting and degrading activity against planktonic cells (80~90% reduction), even to S. aureus biofilm (∼68% reduction in biofilm formation). Moreover, the removal activity of the phage vB_SauS_JS02 against both planktonic cells and S. aureus biofilms was even better than that of the antibiotic (ceftazidime). In summary, the present study introduced the phage vB_SauS_JS02 as a potential biocontrol agent against biofilm-producing S. aureus after making it virulent. It may be applicable for phage therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lili Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Food Quality and Safety of Jiangsu Province-State Key Laboratory Breeding Base, Institute of Food Safety and Nutrition, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Khashayar Shahin
- Key Laboratory of Food Quality and Safety of Jiangsu Province-State Key Laboratory Breeding Base, Institute of Food Safety and Nutrition, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China.,Center for Microbes, Development and Health (CMDH), Institut Pasteur of Shanghai, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai
| | - Abbas Soleimani-Delfan
- Key Laboratory of Food Quality and Safety of Jiangsu Province-State Key Laboratory Breeding Base, Institute of Food Safety and Nutrition, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Huiyan Ding
- Key Laboratory of Food Quality and Safety of Jiangsu Province-State Key Laboratory Breeding Base, Institute of Food Safety and Nutrition, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Heye Wang
- Key Laboratory of Food Quality and Safety of Jiangsu Province-State Key Laboratory Breeding Base, Institute of Food Safety and Nutrition, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Lichang Sun
- Key Laboratory of Food Quality and Safety of Jiangsu Province-State Key Laboratory Breeding Base, Institute of Food Safety and Nutrition, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Ran Wang
- Key Laboratory of Food Quality and Safety of Jiangsu Province-State Key Laboratory Breeding Base, Institute of Food Safety and Nutrition, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
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42
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Deploying Viruses against Phytobacteria: Potential Use of Phage Cocktails as a Multifaceted Approach to Combat Resistant Bacterial Plant Pathogens. Viruses 2022; 14:v14020171. [PMID: 35215763 PMCID: PMC8879233 DOI: 10.3390/v14020171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Revised: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Plants in nature are under the persistent intimidation of severe microbial diseases, threatening a sustainable food production system. Plant-bacterial pathogens are a major concern in the contemporary era, resulting in reduced plant growth and productivity. Plant antibiotics and chemical-based bactericides have been extensively used to evade plant bacterial diseases. To counteract this pressure, bacteria have evolved an array of resistance mechanisms, including innate and adaptive immune systems. The emergence of resistant bacteria and detrimental consequences of antimicrobial compounds on the environment and human health, accentuates the development of an alternative disease evacuation strategy. The phage cocktail therapy is a multidimensional approach effectively employed for the biocontrol of diverse resistant bacterial infections without affecting the fauna and flora. Phages engage a diverse set of counter defense strategies to undermine wide-ranging anti-phage defense mechanisms of bacterial pathogens. Microbial ecology, evolution, and dynamics of the interactions between phage and plant-bacterial pathogens lead to the engineering of robust phage cocktail therapeutics for the mitigation of devastating phytobacterial diseases. In this review, we highlight the concrete and fundamental determinants in the development and application of phage cocktails and their underlying mechanism, combating resistant plant-bacterial pathogens. Additionally, we provide recent advances in the use of phage cocktail therapy against phytobacteria for the biocontrol of devastating plant diseases.
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43
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Peng W, Zeng F, Wu Z, Jin Z, Li W, Zhu M, Wang Q, Tong Y, Chen L, Bai Q. Isolation and genomic analysis of temperate phage 5W targeting multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii. Arch Microbiol 2021; 204:58. [DOI: 10.1007/s00203-021-02618-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Revised: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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44
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Characteristics and genome analysis of a novel bacteriophage IME1323_01, the first temperate bacteriophage induced from Staphylococcus caprae. Virus Res 2021; 305:198569. [PMID: 34555434 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2021.198569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Revised: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Temperate phages play an important role in the evolution of bacteria. So far, lytic phages have been wildly reported, but there is still limited knowledge regarding temperate phages in the genome of pathogenic Staphylococcus caprae. Here we present the characteristics and genome analysis of a novel bacteriophage IME1323_01, which is the first isolated bacteriophage of S. caprae. The phage genome is a 44282-bp linear dsDNA molecule with a GC content of 34.18%, which is similar to its host. The genome of IME1323_01 is most closely related with that of temperate phage IME1318_01, whereas the homology coverage is just 34%. Genome and proteome analyses confirmed the lysogenic nature of phage IME1323_01, which encodes the typical lysogen-related proteins integrase, CI, Cro, and anti-repressor proteins. Genomic and phylogenetic analysis revealed that phage IME1323_01 is a newly discovered phage, which belongs to subfamily Azeredovirinae in the family Siphoviridae. The goal of this study is to increase our knowledge about the phages of S. caprae and expand our armamentarium against the escalating threat of pathogenic bacteria.
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45
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Lauman P, Dennis JJ. Advances in Phage Therapy: Targeting the Burkholderia cepacia Complex. Viruses 2021; 13:1331. [PMID: 34372537 PMCID: PMC8310193 DOI: 10.3390/v13071331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Revised: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The increasing prevalence and worldwide distribution of multidrug-resistant bacterial pathogens is an imminent danger to public health and threatens virtually all aspects of modern medicine. Particularly concerning, yet insufficiently addressed, are the members of the Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc), a group of at least twenty opportunistic, hospital-transmitted, and notoriously drug-resistant species, which infect and cause morbidity in patients who are immunocompromised and those afflicted with chronic illnesses, including cystic fibrosis (CF) and chronic granulomatous disease (CGD). One potential solution to the antimicrobial resistance crisis is phage therapy-the use of phages for the treatment of bacterial infections. Although phage therapy has a long and somewhat checkered history, an impressive volume of modern research has been amassed in the past decades to show that when applied through specific, scientifically supported treatment strategies, phage therapy is highly efficacious and is a promising avenue against drug-resistant and difficult-to-treat pathogens, such as the Bcc. In this review, we discuss the clinical significance of the Bcc, the advantages of phage therapy, and the theoretical and clinical advancements made in phage therapy in general over the past decades, and apply these concepts specifically to the nascent, but growing and rapidly developing, field of Bcc phage therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jonathan J. Dennis
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9, Canada;
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Abstract
Control of pathogenic bacteria by deliberate application of predatory phages has potential as a powerful therapy against antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The key advantages of phage biocontrol over antibacterial chemotherapy are: (1) an ability to self-propagate inside host bacteria, (2) targeted predation of specific species or strains of bacteria, (3) adaptive molecular machinery to overcome resistance in target bacteria. However, realizing the potential of phage biocontrol is dependent on harnessing or adapting these responses, as many phage species switch between lytic infection cycles (resulting in lysis) and lysogenic infection cycles (resulting in genomic integration) that increase the likelihood of survival of the phage in response to external stress or host depletion. Similarly, host range will need to be optimized to make phage therapy medically viable whilst avoiding the potential for deleteriously disturbing the commensal microbiota. Phage training is a new approach to produce efficient phages by capitalizing on the evolved response of wild-type phages to bacterial resistance. Here we will review recent studies reporting successful trials of training different strains of phages to switch into lytic replication mode, overcome bacterial resistance, and increase their host range. This review will also highlight the current knowledge of phage training and future implications in phage applications and phage therapy and summarize the recent pipeline of the magistral preparation to produce a customized phage for clinical trials and medical applications.
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