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Peng S, Xu Y, Qu H, Nong F, Shu F, Yuan G, Ruan L, Zheng D. Trojan Horse virus delivering CRISPR-AsCas12f1 controls plant bacterial wilt caused by Ralstonia solanacearum. mBio 2024:e0061924. [PMID: 39012150 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00619-24] [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: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Plant bacterial wilt caused by Ralstonia solanacearum results in huge losses. Accordingly, developing an effective control method for this disease is urgently required. Filamentous phages, which do not lyse host bacteria and exert minimal burden, offer a potential biocontrol solution. A filamentous phage RSCq that infects R. solanacearum was isolated in this study through genome mining. We constructed engineered filamentous phages based on RSCq by employing our proposed approach with wide applicability to non-model phages, enabling the exogenous genes delivery into bacterial cells. CRISPR-AsCas12f1 is a miniature class 2 type V-F CRISPR-Cas system. A CRISPR-AsCas12f1-based gene editing system that targets the key virulence regulator gene hrpB was developed, generating the engineered phage RSCqCRISPR-Cas. Similar to the Greek soldiers in the Trojan Horse, our findings demonstrated that the engineered phage-delivered CRISPR-Cas system could disarm the key "weapon," hrpB, of R. solanacearum, in medium and plants. Remarkably, pretreatment with RSCqCRISPR-Cas significantly controlled tobacco bacterial wilt, highlighting the potential of engineered filamentous phages as promising biocontrol agents against plant bacterial diseases.IMPORTANCEBacterial disease, one of the major plant diseases, causes huge food and economic losses. Phage therapy, an environmentally friendly control strategy, has been frequently reported in plant bacterial disease control. However, host specificity, sensitivity to ultraviolet light and certain conditions, and bacterial resistance to phage impede the widespread application of phage therapy in crop production. Filamentous phages, which do not lyse host bacteria and exert minimal burden, offer a potential solution to overcome the limitations of lytic phage biocontrol. This study developed a genetic engineering approach with wide applicability to non-model filamentous phages and proved the application possibility of engineered phage-based gene delivery in plant bacterial disease biocontrol for the first.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiwen Peng
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Agro-environment and Agro-product Safety, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Yanan Xu
- Pharmaceutical College, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Hao Qu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Agro-environment and Agro-product Safety, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Fushang Nong
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Agro-environment and Agro-product Safety, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Fangling Shu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Agro-environment and Agro-product Safety, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Gaoqing Yuan
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Agro-environment and Agro-product Safety, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Lifang Ruan
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Dehong Zheng
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Agro-environment and Agro-product Safety, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
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Zeng C, Wan SR, Guo M, Tan XZ, Zeng Y, Wu Q, Xie JJ, Yan P, Long Y, Zheng L, Jiang ZZ, Teng FY, Xu Y. Fecal virome transplantation: A promising strategy for the treatment of metabolic diseases. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 177:117065. [PMID: 38971010 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.117065] [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: 04/06/2024] [Revised: 06/27/2024] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Metabolic diseases are a group of disorders caused by metabolic abnormalities, including obesity, diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and more. Increasing research indicates that, beyond inherent metabolic irregularities, the onset and progression of metabolic diseases are closely linked to alterations in the gut microbiota, particularly gut bacteria. Additionally, fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has demonstrated effectiveness in clinically treating metabolic diseases, notably diabetes. Recent attention has also focused on the role of gut viruses in disease onset. This review first introduces the characteristics and influencing factors of gut viruses, then summarizes their potential mechanisms in disease development, highlighting their impact on gut bacteria and regulation of host immunity. We also compare FMT, fecal filtrate transplantation (FFT), washed microbiota transplantation (WMT), and fecal virome transplantation (FVT). Finally, we review the current understanding of gut viruses in metabolic diseases and the application of FVT in treating these conditions. In conclusion, FVT may provide a novel and promising treatment approach for metabolic diseases, warranting further validation through basic and clinical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Zeng
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China; Metabolic Vascular Diseases Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, and Metabolic Vascular Diseases Key Laboratory of Sichuan-Chongqing Cooperation, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China; Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Nephropathy, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China; Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Diabetes and Metabolic Disease, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China
| | - Sheng-Rong Wan
- Metabolic Vascular Diseases Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, and Metabolic Vascular Diseases Key Laboratory of Sichuan-Chongqing Cooperation, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China; Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Nephropathy, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China; Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Diabetes and Metabolic Disease, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China; Experimental Medicine Center, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China
| | - Man Guo
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China; Metabolic Vascular Diseases Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, and Metabolic Vascular Diseases Key Laboratory of Sichuan-Chongqing Cooperation, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China; Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Nephropathy, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China; Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Diabetes and Metabolic Disease, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China
| | - Xiao-Zhen Tan
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China; Metabolic Vascular Diseases Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, and Metabolic Vascular Diseases Key Laboratory of Sichuan-Chongqing Cooperation, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China; Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Nephropathy, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China; Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Diabetes and Metabolic Disease, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China; Experimental Medicine Center, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China
| | - Yan Zeng
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China; Metabolic Vascular Diseases Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, and Metabolic Vascular Diseases Key Laboratory of Sichuan-Chongqing Cooperation, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China; Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Nephropathy, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China; Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Diabetes and Metabolic Disease, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China; Dr. Neher's Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Faculty of Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macao 999078, China
| | - Qi Wu
- Metabolic Vascular Diseases Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, and Metabolic Vascular Diseases Key Laboratory of Sichuan-Chongqing Cooperation, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China; Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Nephropathy, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China; Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Diabetes and Metabolic Disease, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China; Dr. Neher's Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Faculty of Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macao 999078, China; Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China
| | - Jia-Jie Xie
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China; Metabolic Vascular Diseases Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, and Metabolic Vascular Diseases Key Laboratory of Sichuan-Chongqing Cooperation, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China; Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Nephropathy, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China; Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Diabetes and Metabolic Disease, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China
| | - Pijun Yan
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China; Metabolic Vascular Diseases Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, and Metabolic Vascular Diseases Key Laboratory of Sichuan-Chongqing Cooperation, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China; Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Nephropathy, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China; Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Diabetes and Metabolic Disease, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China; Experimental Medicine Center, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China; Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China; Institute of Cardiovascular Research, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yang Long
- Metabolic Vascular Diseases Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, and Metabolic Vascular Diseases Key Laboratory of Sichuan-Chongqing Cooperation, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China; Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Nephropathy, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China; Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Diabetes and Metabolic Disease, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China; Experimental Medicine Center, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China
| | - Lemin Zheng
- Institute of Cardiovascular Research, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Zong-Zhe Jiang
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China; Metabolic Vascular Diseases Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, and Metabolic Vascular Diseases Key Laboratory of Sichuan-Chongqing Cooperation, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China; Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Nephropathy, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China; Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Diabetes and Metabolic Disease, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China
| | - Fang-Yuan Teng
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China; Metabolic Vascular Diseases Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, and Metabolic Vascular Diseases Key Laboratory of Sichuan-Chongqing Cooperation, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China; Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Nephropathy, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China; Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Diabetes and Metabolic Disease, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China.
| | - Yong Xu
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China; Metabolic Vascular Diseases Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, and Metabolic Vascular Diseases Key Laboratory of Sichuan-Chongqing Cooperation, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China; Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Nephropathy, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China; Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Diabetes and Metabolic Disease, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China.
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Wang H, Xie G, Huang J. Genome-based characterization of a novel prophage of Vibrio parahaemolyticus, VPS05ph1, a novel member of Peduoviridae. Virology 2024; 595:110087. [PMID: 38636362 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2024.110087] [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: 11/20/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a globally important bacterium related to climate warming and health threat to human and marine animals. Yet, there is limited knowledge about its polylysogeny harboring multiple prophages and the genetic information. In this study, two prophages (VPS05ph1 and VPS05ph2) were identified in a V. parahaemolyticus isolate through genomic and transcriptional analyses. Both prophages were determined as HP1-like phages, located in a novel phylogenetic lineage of Peduoviridae. They shared a moderate genome-wide sequence similarity with each other and high synteny with the closest relatives, but showed low identities to the repressor counterparts of the representative phages within the family. In addition, no bacterial virulence genes, antibiotic resistance genes and known phage-encoded lytic proteins were identified on both prophage genomes. Moreover, the V. parahaemolyticus isolate was induced with mitomycin, which caused aberrant cellular morphology and nonviability of bacterial cells and excision of prophage VPS05ph1, accompanied by the respective inhibition and promotion of transcriptions of the cI-like and cox-like regulator genes for phage decision making. Results in this study provide the genetic context of polylysogeny in the V. parahaemolyticus isolate, support the diversity and prevalence of HP1-like phages in vibrios, and promote to explore interactions between the HP1-like prophage and its vibrio host.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Guosi Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Mariculture Biobreeding and Sustainable Goods, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao, 266071, China; Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Qingdao Marine Science and Technology Center, Qingdao, 266237, China
| | - Jie Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Mariculture Biobreeding and Sustainable Goods, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao, 266071, China; Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Qingdao Marine Science and Technology Center, Qingdao, 266237, China; Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia-Pacific, Bangkok, 10900, Thailand.
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4
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Wang H, Yang Y, Xu Y, Chen Y, Zhang W, Liu T, Chen G, Wang K. Phage-based delivery systems: engineering, applications, and challenges in nanomedicines. J Nanobiotechnology 2024; 22:365. [PMID: 38918839 PMCID: PMC11197292 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-024-02576-4] [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: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophages (phages) represent a unique category of viruses with a remarkable ability to selectively infect host bacteria, characterized by their assembly from proteins and nucleic acids. Leveraging their exceptional biological properties and modifiable characteristics, phages emerge as innovative, safe, and efficient delivery vectors. The potential drawbacks associated with conventional nanocarriers in the realms of drug and gene delivery include a lack of cell-specific targeting, cytotoxicity, and diminished in vivo transfection efficiency. In contrast, engineered phages, when employed as cargo delivery vectors, hold the promise to surmount these limitations and attain enhanced delivery efficacy. This review comprehensively outlines current strategies for the engineering of phages, delineates the principal types of phages utilized as nanocarriers in drug and gene delivery, and explores the application of phage-based delivery systems in disease therapy. Additionally, an incisive analysis is provided, critically examining the challenges confronted by phage-based delivery systems within the domain of nanotechnology. The primary objective of this article is to furnish a theoretical reference that contributes to the reasoned design and development of potent phage-based delivery systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, China
- Qingdao Central Hospital, University of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (Qingdao Central Medical Group), Qingdao, 266024, China
- School of Rehabilitation Sciences and Engineering, University of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Qingdao, 266024, China
| | - Ying Yang
- School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, China
| | - Yan Xu
- School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, China
| | - Yi Chen
- School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, China
| | - Wenjie Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, China
| | - Tianqing Liu
- NICM Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Sydney, NSW, 2145, Australia.
| | - Gang Chen
- Qingdao Central Hospital, University of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (Qingdao Central Medical Group), Qingdao, 266024, China.
- School of Rehabilitation Sciences and Engineering, University of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Qingdao, 266024, China.
| | - Kaikai Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, China.
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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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Li L, Zhang H, Jin H, Guo J, Liu P, Yang J, Wang Z, Zhang E, Yu B, Shi L, He J, Wang P, Wei J, Zhong Y, Li W. Identification and characterization of two Bacillus anthracis bacteriophages. Arch Virol 2024; 169:134. [PMID: 38834736 PMCID: PMC11150296 DOI: 10.1007/s00705-024-06005-7] [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: 10/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
Anthrax is an acute infectious zoonotic disease caused by Bacillus anthracis, a bacterium that is considered a potential biological warfare agent. Bacillus bacteriophages shape the composition and evolution of bacterial communities in nature and therefore have important roles in the ecosystem community. B. anthracis phages are not only used in etiological diagnostics but also have promising prospects in clinical therapeutics or for disinfection in anthrax outbreaks. In this study, two temperate B. anthracis phages, vB_BanS_A16R1 (A16R1) and vB_BanS_A16R4 (A16R4), were isolated and showed siphovirus-like morphological characteristics. Genome sequencing showed that the genomes of phages A16R1 and A16R4 are 36,569 bp and 40,059 bp in length, respectively. A16R1 belongs to the genus Wbetavirus, while A16R4 belongs to the genus Hubeivirus and is the first phage of that genus found to lyse B. anthracis. Because these two phages can comparatively specifically lyse B. anthracis, they could be used as alternative diagnostic tools for identification of B. anthracis infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lun Li
- Yunnan Institute for Endemic Disease Control and Prevention, Dali, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Control and Prevention, Dali, China
- School of Public Health, Dali University, Dali, China
- National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention (ICDC), China CDC, Beijing, China
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Huijuan Zhang
- National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention (ICDC), China CDC, Beijing, China
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Haixiao Jin
- National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention (ICDC), China CDC, Beijing, China
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Jin Guo
- National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention (ICDC), China CDC, Beijing, China
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Pan Liu
- Yunnan Institute for Endemic Disease Control and Prevention, Dali, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Control and Prevention, Dali, China
| | - Jiao Yang
- Yunnan Institute for Endemic Disease Control and Prevention, Dali, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Control and Prevention, Dali, China
| | - Zijian Wang
- Yunnan Institute for Endemic Disease Control and Prevention, Dali, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Control and Prevention, Dali, China
| | - Enmin Zhang
- National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention (ICDC), China CDC, Beijing, China
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Binbin Yu
- Yunnan Institute for Endemic Disease Control and Prevention, Dali, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Control and Prevention, Dali, China
| | - Liyuan Shi
- Yunnan Institute for Endemic Disease Control and Prevention, Dali, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Control and Prevention, Dali, China
| | - Jinrong He
- National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention (ICDC), China CDC, Beijing, China
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Peng Wang
- Yunnan Institute for Endemic Disease Control and Prevention, Dali, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Control and Prevention, Dali, China
| | - Jianchun Wei
- National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention (ICDC), China CDC, Beijing, China
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Youhong Zhong
- Yunnan Institute for Endemic Disease Control and Prevention, Dali, China.
- Yunnan Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Control and Prevention, Dali, China.
| | - Wei Li
- National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention (ICDC), China CDC, Beijing, China.
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China.
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Uskudar-Guclu A, Unlu S, Salih-Dogan H, Yalcin S, Basustaoglu A. Biological and genomic characteristics of three novel bacteriophages and a phage-plasmid of Klebsiella pneumoniae. Can J Microbiol 2024; 70:213-225. [PMID: 38447122 DOI: 10.1139/cjm-2023-0188] [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] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
Bacteriophages have emerged as promising candidates for the treatment of difficult-to-treat bacterial infections. The aim of this study is to isolate and characterize phages infecting carbapenem-resistant and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase producer Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates. Water samples were taken for the isolation of bacteriophages. One-step growth curve, the optimal multiplicity of infection (MOI), thermal and pH stabilities, transmission electron microscopy and whole-genome sequencing of phages were studied. Four phages were isolated and named Klebsiella phage Kpn02, Kpn17, Kpn74, and Kpn13. The optimal MOI and latent periods of phage Kpn02, Kpn17, Kpn74, and Kpn13 were 10, 1, 0.001, and 100 PFU/CFU and 20, 10, 20, and 30 min, respectively. Burst sizes ranged from 811 to 2363. No known antibiotic resistance and virulence genes were identified. No tRNAs were detected except Klebsiella phage Kpn02 which encodes 24 tRNAs. Interestingly, Klebsiella phage Kpn74 was predicted to be a lysogenic phage whose prophage is a linear plasmid molecule with covalently closed ends. Of the Klebsiella-infecting phages presented in current study, virulent phages suggest that they may represent candidate therapeutic agents against MDR K. pneumoniae, based on short latent period, high burst sizes and no known antibiotic resistance and virulence genes in their genomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aylin Uskudar-Guclu
- Baskent University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Microbiology, Ankara, Turkiye
| | - Sezin Unlu
- Baskent University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Microbiology, Ankara, Turkiye
| | - Hanife Salih-Dogan
- Aydin Adnan Menderes University, Recombinant DNA and Recombinant Protein Research Center (REDPROM), Aydin, Turkiye
| | - Suleyman Yalcin
- Ministry of Health General Directorate of Public Health, Microbiology References Laboratory, Ankara, Turkiye
| | - Ahmet Basustaoglu
- Baskent University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Microbiology, Ankara, Turkiye
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8
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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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9
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Thanaskody K, Natashah FN, Nordin F, Kamarul Zaman WSW, Tye GJ. Designing molecules: directing stem cell differentiation. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2024; 12:1396405. [PMID: 38803845 PMCID: PMC11129639 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2024.1396405] [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: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Stem cells have been widely applied in regenerative and therapeutic medicine for their unique regenerative properties. Although much research has shown their potential, it remains tricky in directing stem cell differentiation. The advancement of genetic and therapeutic technologies, however, has facilitated this issue through development of design molecules. These molecules are designed to overcome the drawbacks previously faced, such as unexpected differentiation outcomes and insufficient migration of endogenous or exogenous MSCs. Here, we introduced aptamer, bacteriophage, and biological vectors as design molecules and described their characteristics. The methods of designing/developing discussed include various Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential Enrichment (SELEX) procedures, in silico approaches, and non-SELEX methods for aptamers, and genetic engineering methods such as homologous recombination, Bacteriophage Recombineering of Electroporated DNA (BRED), Bacteriophage Recombineering with Infectious Particles (BRIP), and genome rebooting for bacteriophage. For biological vectors, methods such as alternate splicing, multiple promoters, internal ribosomal entry site, CRISPR-Cas9 system and Cre recombinase mediated recombination were used to design viral vectors, while non-viral vectors like exosomes are generated through parental cell-based direct engineering. Besides that, we also discussed the pros and cons, and applications of each design molecule in directing stem cell differentiation to illustrate their great potential in stem cells research. Finally, we highlighted some safety and efficacy concerns to be considered for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kalaiselvaan Thanaskody
- Centre for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (CTERM), Faculty of Medicine, National University of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Fajriyah Nur Natashah
- Centre for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (CTERM), Faculty of Medicine, National University of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Fazlina Nordin
- Centre for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (CTERM), Faculty of Medicine, National University of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Wan Safwani Wan Kamarul Zaman
- Department of Pharmaceutical Life Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Centre for Innovation in Medical Engineering (CIME), Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Gee Jun Tye
- Institute for Research in Molecular Medicine (INFORMM), Universiti Sains Malaysia, Gelugor, Malaysia
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10
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Kobakhidze S, Koulouris S, Kakabadze N, Kotetishvili M. Genetic recombination-mediated evolutionary interactions between phages of potential industrial importance and prophages of their hosts within or across the domains of Escherichia, Listeria, Salmonella, Campylobacter, and Staphylococcus. BMC Microbiol 2024; 24:155. [PMID: 38704526 PMCID: PMC11069274 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-024-03312-6] [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: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The in-depth understanding of the role of lateral genetic transfer (LGT) in phage-prophage interactions is essential to rationalizing phage applications for human and animal therapy, as well as for food and environmental safety. This in silico study aimed to detect LGT between phages of potential industrial importance and their hosts. METHODS A large array of genetic recombination detection algorithms, implemented in SplitsTree and RDP4, was applied to detect LGT between various Escherichia, Listeria, Salmonella, Campylobacter, Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas, and Vibrio phages and their hosts. PHASTER and RAST were employed respectively to identify prophages across the host genome and to annotate LGT-affected genes with unknown functions. PhageAI was used to gain deeper insights into the life cycle history of recombined phages. RESULTS The split decomposition inferences (bootstrap values: 91.3-100; fit: 91.433-100), coupled with the Phi (0.0-2.836E-12) and RDP4 (P being well below 0.05) statistics, provided strong evidence for LGT between certain Escherichia, Listeria, Salmonella, and Campylobacter virulent phages and prophages of their hosts. The LGT events entailed mainly the phage genes encoding for hypothetical proteins, while some of these genetic loci appeared to have been affected even by intergeneric recombination in specific E. coli and S. enterica virulent phages when interacting with their host prophages. Moreover, it is shown that certain L. monocytogenes virulent phages could serve at least as the donors of the gene loci, involved in encoding for the basal promoter specificity factor, for L. monocytogenes. In contrast, the large genetic clusters were determined to have been simultaneously exchanged by many S. aureus prophages and some Staphylococcus temperate phages proposed earlier as potential therapeutic candidates (in their native or modified state). The above genetic clusters were found to encompass multiple genes encoding for various proteins, such as e.g., phage tail proteins, the capsid and scaffold proteins, holins, and transcriptional terminator proteins. CONCLUSIONS It is suggested that phage-prophage interactions, mediated by LGT (including intergeneric recombination), can have a far-reaching impact on the co-evolutionary trajectories of industrial phages and their hosts especially when excessively present across microbially rich environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saba Kobakhidze
- Hygiene and Medical Ecology, G. Natadze Scientific-Research Institute of Sanitary, 78 D. Uznadze St. 0102, Tbilisi, Georgia
- Faculty of Medicine, Iv. Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, 1 Ilia Chavchavadze Ave. 0179, Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - Stylianos Koulouris
- Directorate General for Health and Food Safety (DG-SANTE), European Commission, 1049, Bruxelles/Brussel, Belgium
| | - Nata Kakabadze
- Hygiene and Medical Ecology, G. Natadze Scientific-Research Institute of Sanitary, 78 D. Uznadze St. 0102, Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - Mamuka Kotetishvili
- Hygiene and Medical Ecology, G. Natadze Scientific-Research Institute of Sanitary, 78 D. Uznadze St. 0102, Tbilisi, Georgia.
- Scientific Research Institute, School of Science and Technology, the University of Georgia, 77a M. Kostava St., 0171, Tbilisi, Georgia.
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11
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Han G, Huang T, Liu X, Liu R. Bacteriophage EPP-1, a potential antibiotic alternative for controlling edwardsiellosis caused by Edwardsiella piscicida while mitigating drug-resistant gene dissemination. Sci Rep 2024; 14:9399. [PMID: 38658654 PMCID: PMC11043334 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-60214-3] [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: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Edwardsiella piscicida causes significant economic losses to the aquaculture industry worldwide. Phage-based biocontrol methods are experiencing a renaissance because of the spread of drug-resistant genes and bacteria resulting from the heavy use of antibiotics. Here, we showed that the novel Edwardsiella phage EPP-1 could achieve comparable efficacy to florfenicol using a zebrafish model of Edwardsiella piscicida infection and could reduce the content of the floR resistance gene in zebrafish excreta. Specifically, phage EPP-1 inhibited bacterial growth in vitro and significantly improved the zebrafish survival rate in vivo (P = 0.0035), achieving an efficacy comparable to that of florfenicol (P = 0.2304). Notably, integrating the results of 16S rRNA sequencing, metagenomic sequencing, and qPCR, although the effects of phage EPP-1 converged with those of florfenicol in terms of the community composition and potential function of the zebrafish gut microbiota, it reduced the floR gene content in zebrafish excreta and aquaculture water. Overall, our study highlights the feasibility and safety of phage therapy for edwardsiellosis control, which has profound implications for the development of antibiotic alternatives to address the antibiotic crisis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ganghua Han
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19(A) Yuquan Road, Shijingshan District, Beijing, 100049, People's Republic of China
| | - Ting Huang
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19(A) Yuquan Road, Shijingshan District, Beijing, 100049, People's Republic of China
| | - Xinchun Liu
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19(A) Yuquan Road, Shijingshan District, Beijing, 100049, People's Republic of China
| | - Ruyin Liu
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19(A) Yuquan Road, Shijingshan District, Beijing, 100049, People's Republic of China.
- Yanshan Earth Critical Zone National Research Station, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
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12
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Wortelboer K, Herrema H. Opportunities and challenges in phage therapy for cardiometabolic diseases. Trends Endocrinol Metab 2024:S1043-2760(24)00083-3. [PMID: 38637223 DOI: 10.1016/j.tem.2024.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2024] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
The worldwide prevalence of cardiometabolic diseases (CMD) is increasing, and emerging evidence implicates the gut microbiota in this multifactorial disease development. Bacteriophages (phages) are viruses that selectively target a bacterial host; thus, phage therapy offers a precise means of modulating the gut microbiota, limiting collateral damage on the ecosystem. Several studies demonstrate the potential of phages in human disease, including alcoholic and steatotic liver disease. In this opinion article we discuss the potential of phage therapy as a predefined medicinal product for CMD and discuss its current challenges, including the generation of effective phage combinations, product formulation, and strict manufacturing requirements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koen Wortelboer
- Department of Experimental Vascular Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, Location AMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Amsterdam Gastroenterology, Endocrinology, and Metabolism, Endocrinology, Metabolism and Nutrition, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Hilde Herrema
- Department of Experimental Vascular Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, Location AMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Amsterdam Gastroenterology, Endocrinology, and Metabolism, Endocrinology, Metabolism and Nutrition, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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13
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Turchi B, Campobasso C, Nardinocchi A, Wagemans J, Torracca B, Lood C, Di Giuseppe G, Nieri P, Bertelloni F, Turini L, Ruffo V, Lavigne R, Di Luca M. Isolation and characterization of novel Staphylococcus aureus bacteriophage Hesat from dairy origin. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2024; 108:299. [PMID: 38619619 PMCID: PMC11018700 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-024-13129-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: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
A novel temperate phage, named Hesat, was isolated by the incubation of a dairy strain of Staphylococcus aureus belonging to spa-type t127 with either bovine or ovine milk. Hesat represents a new species of temperate phage within the Phietavirus genus of the Azeredovirinae subfamily. Its genome has a length of 43,129 bp and a GC content of 35.11% and contains 75 predicted ORFs, some of which linked to virulence. This includes (i) a pathogenicity island (SaPln2), homologous to the type II toxin-antitoxin system PemK/MazF family toxin; (ii) a DUF3113 protein (gp30) that is putatively involved in the derepression of the global repressor Stl; and (iii) a cluster coding for a PVL. Genomic analysis of the host strain indicates Hesat is a resident prophage. Interestingly, its induction was obtained by exposing the bacterium to milk, while the conventional mitomycin C-based approach failed. The host range of phage Hesat appears to be broad, as it was able to lyse 24 out of 30 tested S. aureus isolates. Furthermore, when tested at high titer (108 PFU/ml), Hesat phage was also able to lyse a Staphylococcus muscae isolate, a coagulase-negative staphylococcal strain. KEY POINTS: • A new phage species was isolated from a Staphylococcus aureus bovine strain. • Pathogenicity island and PVL genes are encoded within phage genome. • The phage is active against most of S. aureus strains from both animal and human origins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Turchi
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, Viale Delle Piagge 2, 56124, Pisa, Italy
| | - Claudia Campobasso
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Via San Zeno 37, 56127, Pisa, Italy
- Department of Biosystems, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 21, Box 2462, 3001, Louvain, Belgium
| | - Arianna Nardinocchi
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Via San Zeno 37, 56127, Pisa, Italy
| | - Jeroen Wagemans
- Department of Biosystems, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 21, Box 2462, 3001, Louvain, Belgium
| | - Beatrice Torracca
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, Viale Delle Piagge 2, 56124, Pisa, Italy
| | - Cédric Lood
- Department of Biosystems, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 21, Box 2462, 3001, Louvain, Belgium
- Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems, Centre for Microbial and Plant Genetics, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 20, Box 2460, 3001, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Paola Nieri
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno Pisano 6, 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Bertelloni
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, Viale Delle Piagge 2, 56124, Pisa, Italy
| | - Luca Turini
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, Viale Delle Piagge 2, 56124, Pisa, Italy
| | - Valeria Ruffo
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, Viale Delle Piagge 2, 56124, Pisa, Italy
| | - Rob Lavigne
- Department of Biosystems, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 21, Box 2462, 3001, Louvain, Belgium
| | - Mariagrazia Di Luca
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Via San Zeno 37, 56127, Pisa, Italy.
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14
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Wang X, Tang Y, Yue X, Wang S, Yang K, Xu Y, Shen Q, Friman VP, Wei Z. The role of rhizosphere phages in soil health. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2024; 100:fiae052. [PMID: 38678007 PMCID: PMC11065364 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiae052] [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: 12/31/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
While the One Health framework has emphasized the importance of soil microbiomes for plant and human health, one of the most diverse and abundant groups-bacterial viruses, i.e. phages-has been mostly neglected. This perspective reviews the significance of phages for plant health in rhizosphere and explores their ecological and evolutionary impacts on soil ecosystems. We first summarize our current understanding of the diversity and ecological roles of phages in soil microbiomes in terms of nutrient cycling, top-down density regulation, and pathogen suppression. We then consider how phages drive bacterial evolution in soils by promoting horizontal gene transfer, encoding auxiliary metabolic genes that increase host bacterial fitness, and selecting for phage-resistant mutants with altered ecology due to trade-offs with pathogen competitiveness and virulence. Finally, we consider challenges and avenues for phage research in soil ecosystems and how to elucidate the significance of phages for microbial ecology and evolution and soil ecosystem functioning in the future. We conclude that similar to bacteria, phages likely play important roles in connecting different One Health compartments, affecting microbiome diversity and functions in soils. From the applied perspective, phages could offer novel approaches to modulate and optimize microbial and microbe-plant interactions to enhance soil health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofang Wang
- Jiangsu provincial key lab for solid organic waste utilization, Key lab of organic-based fertilizers of China,Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Wastes, Educational Ministry Engineering Center of Resource-saving fertilizers, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Yike Tang
- Jiangsu provincial key lab for solid organic waste utilization, Key lab of organic-based fertilizers of China,Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Wastes, Educational Ministry Engineering Center of Resource-saving fertilizers, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Xiufeng Yue
- Jiangsu provincial key lab for solid organic waste utilization, Key lab of organic-based fertilizers of China,Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Wastes, Educational Ministry Engineering Center of Resource-saving fertilizers, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Shuo Wang
- Jiangsu provincial key lab for solid organic waste utilization, Key lab of organic-based fertilizers of China,Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Wastes, Educational Ministry Engineering Center of Resource-saving fertilizers, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Keming Yang
- Jiangsu provincial key lab for solid organic waste utilization, Key lab of organic-based fertilizers of China,Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Wastes, Educational Ministry Engineering Center of Resource-saving fertilizers, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Yangchun Xu
- Jiangsu provincial key lab for solid organic waste utilization, Key lab of organic-based fertilizers of China,Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Wastes, Educational Ministry Engineering Center of Resource-saving fertilizers, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Qirong Shen
- Jiangsu provincial key lab for solid organic waste utilization, Key lab of organic-based fertilizers of China,Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Wastes, Educational Ministry Engineering Center of Resource-saving fertilizers, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Ville-Petri Friman
- Jiangsu provincial key lab for solid organic waste utilization, Key lab of organic-based fertilizers of China,Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Wastes, Educational Ministry Engineering Center of Resource-saving fertilizers, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Department of Microbiology, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Zhong Wei
- Jiangsu provincial key lab for solid organic waste utilization, Key lab of organic-based fertilizers of China,Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Wastes, Educational Ministry Engineering Center of Resource-saving fertilizers, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
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15
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Roughgarden J. Lytic/Lysogenic Transition as a Life-History Switch. Virus Evol 2024; 10:veae028. [PMID: 38756985 PMCID: PMC11097211 DOI: 10.1093/ve/veae028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
The transition between lytic and lysogenic life cycles is the most important feature of the life-history of temperate viruses. To explain this transition, an optimal life-history model is offered based a discrete-time formulation of phage/bacteria population dynamics that features infection of bacteria by Poisson sampling of virions from the environment. The time step is the viral latency period. In this model, density-dependent viral absorption onto the bacterial surface produces virus/bacteria coexistence and density dependence in bacterial growth is not needed. The formula for the transition between lytic and lysogenic phases is termed the 'fitness switch'. According to the model, the virus switches from lytic to lysogenic when its population grows faster as prophage than as virions produced by lysis of the infected cells, and conversely for the switch from lysogenic to lytic. A prophage that benefits the bacterium it infects automatically incurs lower fitness upon exiting the bacterial genome, resulting in its becoming locked into the bacterial genome in what is termed here as a 'prophage lock'. The fitness switch qualitatively predicts the ecogeographic rule that environmental enrichment leads to microbialization with a concomitant increase in lysogeny, fluctuating environmental conditions promote virus-mediated horizontal gene transfer, and prophage-containing bacteria can integrate into the microbiome of a eukaryotic host forming a functionally integrated tripartite holobiont. These predictions accord more with the 'Piggyback-the-Winner' hypothesis than with the 'Kill-the-Winner' hypothesis in virus ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joan Roughgarden
- Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawaii, Kaneohe, HI 96744, USA
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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16
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Zamora PF, Reidy TG, Armbruster CR, Sun M, Van Tyne D, Turner PE, Koff JL, Bomberger JM. Lytic bacteriophages induce the secretion of antiviral and proinflammatory cytokines from human respiratory epithelial cells. PLoS Biol 2024; 22:e3002566. [PMID: 38652717 PMCID: PMC11037538 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002566] [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: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Phage therapy is a therapeutic approach to treat multidrug-resistant (MDR) infections that employs lytic bacteriophages (phages) to eliminate bacteria. Despite the abundant evidence for its success as an antimicrobial in Eastern Europe, there is scarce data regarding its effects on the human host. Here, we aimed to understand how lytic phages interact with cells of the airway epithelium, the tissue site that is colonized by bacterial biofilms in numerous chronic respiratory disorders. Using a panel of Pseudomonas aeruginosa phages and human airway epithelial cells (AECs) derived from a person with cystic fibrosis (CF), we determined that interactions between phages and epithelial cells depend on specific phage properties as well as physiochemical features of the microenvironment. Although poor at internalizing phages, the airway epithelium responds to phage exposure by changing its transcriptional profile and secreting antiviral and proinflammatory cytokines that correlate with specific phage families. Overall, our findings indicate that mammalian responses to phages are heterogenous and could potentially alter the way that respiratory local defenses aid in bacterial clearance during phage therapy. Thus, besides phage receptor specificity in a particular bacterial isolate, the criteria to select lytic phages for therapy should be expanded to include mammalian cell responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula F. Zamora
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, Hanover, New Hampshire, United States of America
| | - Thomas G. Reidy
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Catherine R. Armbruster
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, Hanover, New Hampshire, United States of America
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Ming Sun
- Center for Biological Imaging, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Daria Van Tyne
- Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Paul E. Turner
- Center for Phage Biology and Therapy, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- Program in Microbiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- Quantitative Biology Institute, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Jonathan L. Koff
- Center for Phage Biology and Therapy, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- Department of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Jennifer M. Bomberger
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, Hanover, New Hampshire, United States of America
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17
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Bianchessi L, De Bernardi G, Vigorelli M, Dall’Ara P, Turin L. Bacteriophage Therapy in Companion and Farm Animals. Antibiotics (Basel) 2024; 13:294. [PMID: 38666970 PMCID: PMC11047634 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics13040294] [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: 02/26/2024] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophages, which are viruses with restricted tropism for bacteria, have been employed for over a century as antimicrobial agents; they have been largely abandoned in Western countries but are constantly used in Eastern European countries with the advent of antibiotics. In recent decades, the growing spread of multidrug-resistant bacteria, which pose a serious threat to worldwide public health, imposed an urgent demand for alternative therapeutic approaches to antibiotics in animal and human fields. Based on this requirement, numerous studies have been published on developing and testing bacteriophage-based therapy. Overall, the literature largely supports the potential of this perspective but also highlights the need for additional research as the current standards are inadequate to receive approval from regulatory authorities. This review aims to update and critically revise the current knowledge on the application of bacteriophages to treat bacterial-derived infectious diseases in animals in order to provide topical perspectives and innovative advances.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Lauretta Turin
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences—DIVAS, Università degli Studi di Milano, 26900 Lodi, Italy; (L.B.); (G.D.B.); (M.V.); (P.D.)
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18
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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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19
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Wang J, Zhang M, Pei J, Yi W, Fan L, Wang C, Xiao X. Isolation and identification of a novel phage targeting clinical multidrug-resistant Corynebacterium striatum isolates. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2024; 14:1361045. [PMID: 38572320 PMCID: PMC10987712 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1361045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Over the past decade, Corynebacterium striatum (C. striatum), an emerging multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogen, has significantly challenged healthcare settings, especially those involving individuals with weakened immune systems. The rise of these superbugs necessitates innovative solutions. Methods This study aimed to isolate and characterize bacteriophages targeting MDR-C. striatum. Utilizing 54 MDR-C. striatum isolates from a local hospital as target strains, samples were collected from restroom puddles for phage screening. Dot Plaque and Double-layer plate Assays were employed for screening. Results A novel temperate bacteriophage, named CSP1, was identified through a series of procedures, including purification, genome extraction, sequencing, and one-step growth curves. CSP1 possesses a 39,752 base pair circular double-stranded DNA genome with HK97-like structural proteins and potential for site-specific recombination. It represents a new species within the unclassified Caudoviricetes class, as supported by transmission electron microscopy, genomic evolutionary analysis, and collinearity studies. Notably, CSP1 infected and lysed 21 clinical MDR-C. striatum isolates, demonstrating a wide host range. The phage remained stable in conditions ranging from -40 to 55°C, pH 4 to 12, and in 0.9% NaCl buffer, showing no cytotoxicity. Discussion The identification of CSP1 as the first phage targeting clinical C. striatum strains opens new possibilities in bacteriophage therapy research, and the development of diagnostic and therapeutic tools against pathogenic bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiao Wang
- Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Arts and Science, Xiangyang, China
| | - Meng Zhang
- Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Arts and Science, Xiangyang, China
| | - Jiao Pei
- Xiangyang Central Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Hubei University of Arts and Science, Xiangyang, China
| | - Wei Yi
- Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Arts and Science, Xiangyang, China
| | - Li Fan
- Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Arts and Science, Xiangyang, China
| | - Chunhua Wang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Xiangyang No.1 People’s Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Xiangyang, China
| | - Xiao Xiao
- Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
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20
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Tarakanov RI, Evseev PV, Vo HTN, Troshin KS, Gutnik DI, Ignatov AN, Toshchakov SV, Miroshnikov KA, Jafarov IH, Dzhalilov FSU. Xanthomonas Phage PBR31: Classifying the Unclassifiable. Viruses 2024; 16:406. [PMID: 38543771 PMCID: PMC10975493 DOI: 10.3390/v16030406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Revised: 02/24/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The ability of bacteriophages to destroy bacteria has made them the subject of extensive research. Interest in bacteriophages has recently increased due to the spread of drug-resistant bacteria, although genomic research has not kept pace with the growth of genomic data. Genomic analysis and, especially, the taxonomic description of bacteriophages are often difficult due to the peculiarities of the evolution of bacteriophages, which often includes the horizontal transfer of genes and genomic modules. The latter is particularly pronounced for temperate bacteriophages, which are capable of integration into the bacterial chromosome. Xanthomonas phage PBR31 is a temperate bacteriophage, which has been neither described nor classified previously, that infects the plant pathogen Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris. Genomic analysis, including phylogenetic studies, indicated the separation of phage PBR31 from known classified bacteriophages, as well as its distant relationship with other temperate bacteriophages, including the Lederbervirus group. Bioinformatic analysis of proteins revealed distinctive features of PBR31, including the presence of a protein similar to the small subunit of D-family DNA polymerase and advanced lysis machinery. Taxonomic analysis showed the possibility of assigning phage PBR31 to a new taxon, although the complete taxonomic description of Xanthomonas phage PBR31 and other related bacteriophages is complicated by the complex evolutionary history of the formation of its genome. The general biological features of the PBR31 phage were analysed for the first time. Due to its presumably temperate lifestyle, there is doubt as to whether the PBR31 phage is appropriate for phage control purposes. Bioinformatics analysis, however, revealed the presence of cell wall-degrading enzymes that can be utilised for the treatment of bacterial infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rashit I. Tarakanov
- Department of Plant Protection, Russian State Agrarian University-Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy, Timiryazevskaya Str. 49, 127434 Moscow, Russia; (R.I.T.); (K.S.T.)
| | - Peter V. Evseev
- Department of Plant Protection, Russian State Agrarian University-Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy, Timiryazevskaya Str. 49, 127434 Moscow, Russia; (R.I.T.); (K.S.T.)
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya Str., 16/10, 117997 Moscow, Russia
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Ostrovityanova 1, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Ha T. N. Vo
- Faculty of Agronomy, Nong Lam University, Quarter 6, Thu Duc District, Ho Chi Minh City 721400, Vietnam
| | - Konstantin S. Troshin
- Department of Plant Protection, Russian State Agrarian University-Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy, Timiryazevskaya Str. 49, 127434 Moscow, Russia; (R.I.T.); (K.S.T.)
| | - Daria I. Gutnik
- Limnological Institute, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 664033 Irkutsk, Russia;
| | - Aleksandr N. Ignatov
- Agrobiotechnology Department, Agrarian and Technological Institute, RUDN University, Miklukho-Maklaya Str. 6, 117198 Moscow, Russia;
| | - Stepan V. Toshchakov
- Center for Genome Research, National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”, Kurchatov Sq., 1, 123098 Moscow, Russia
| | - Konstantin A. Miroshnikov
- Department of Plant Protection, Russian State Agrarian University-Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy, Timiryazevskaya Str. 49, 127434 Moscow, Russia; (R.I.T.); (K.S.T.)
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya Str., 16/10, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Ibrahim H. Jafarov
- Azerbaijan Scientific Research Institute for Plant Protection and Industrial Crops, AZ 4200 Ganja, Azerbaijan
| | - Fevzi S.-U. Dzhalilov
- Department of Plant Protection, Russian State Agrarian University-Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy, Timiryazevskaya Str. 49, 127434 Moscow, Russia; (R.I.T.); (K.S.T.)
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21
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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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22
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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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23
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Su Q, Lu D, Kong J, Lin H, Xuan G, Wang J. PqsA mutation-mediated enhancement of phage-mediated combat against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2024; 14:1296777. [PMID: 38469347 PMCID: PMC10925624 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1296777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Phage therapy is a potential approach in the biocontrol of foodborne pathogens. However, the emergence of phage resistance and the narrow host range of most phage isolates continue to limit the antimicrobial efficacy of phages. Here, we investigated the potential of the pqsA gene, encoding the anthranilate-CoA ligase enzyme, as an adjuvant for phage therapy. The knockout of the pqsA gene significantly enhanced the bactericidal effect of phages vB_Pae_QDWS and vB_Pae_S1 against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Under phage infection pressure, the growth of the PaΔpqsA was significantly inhibited within 8 h compared to the wild-type PAO1. Furthermore, we found that altering phage adsorption is not how PaΔpqsA responds to phage infection. Although pqsA represents a promising target for enhancing phage killing, it may not be applicable to all phages, such as types vB_Pae_W3 and vB_Pae_TR. Our findings provide new material reserves for the future design of novel phage-based therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Guanhua Xuan
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Food Processing & Safety Control, College of Food Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
| | - Jingxue Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Food Processing & Safety Control, College of Food Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
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24
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Zhao P, Zhao W, Zhai X, He Y, Shu W, Qiao G. Biological characterization and genomic analysis of a novel methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus phage, SauPS-28. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0029523. [PMID: 38193720 PMCID: PMC10846126 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00295-23] [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: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus, a representative gram-positive bacterium, is a common infectious pathogen widely present in the natural environment. The increasing application of antibiotics is witnessing an increment in the number of clinically resistant strains (such as methicillin-resistant S. aureus [MRSA]), which has posed a great challenge to antimicrobial therapy. In this study, a novel MRSA phage, SauPS-28, was isolated from the lake water of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. This phage has an incubation period of approximately 30 min, a lysis period of approximately 40 min, and a burst size of approximately 25 PFU/cell. The isolated phage exhibited good biological stability at a pH range of 6.0-9.0 and temperature range of 4°C-37°C. In addition, the identification of an elongated tail using transmission electron microscopy confirmed that SauPS-28 belongs to the long-tailed phage family. Whole-genome sequencing analysis revealed that SauPS-28 has a 43,286-bp-long genome with 31.03% G + C content. Moreover, SauPS-28 exhibited 95.69% sequence identity with ECel-2020k, while the query coverage was only 66%, which is a newly discovered phage. Whole-genome functional annotation results revealed that SauPS-28 had 68 open reading frames (ORFs). Of these, 30 ORFs are unknown proteins. The results suggest that SauPS-28 could be a lysogenic phage strain. This study thus provides preliminary data to conduct further in-depth analysis of the mechanism of phage-host interaction and provides a reference value for phage therapy.IMPORTANCEIn recent years, drug-resistant bacterial infections have become increasingly serious. As a kind of virus with the ability to infect and lyse drug-resistant bacteria, phage is expected to be a new therapeutic method. In this study, we isolated and purified a new methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteriophage SauPS-28, studied a series of biological characteristics of the bacteriophage, analyzed the genome and structural proteome data of the bacteriophage, and provided reference data for further study of the interaction mechanism between bacteriophage and host bacteria and promoted new antibacterial strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peisong Zhao
- Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medicine, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, Guangxi, China
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Biology, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, Guangxi, China
- Department of Medical Laboratory, Handan Central Hospital, Handan, Hebei, China
| | - Wenli Zhao
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Xin Zhai
- Office of Health Insurance, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yulin He
- Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medicine, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, Guangxi, China
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Biology, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, Guangxi, China
| | - Wei Shu
- College of Intelligent Medicine and Biotechnology, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, Guangxi, China
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Exposomics and Entire Lifecycle Heath, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, Guangxi, China
| | - Guanhua Qiao
- Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medicine, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, Guangxi, China
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Biology, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, Guangxi, China
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25
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Zamora PF, Reidy TG, Armbruster CR, Sun M, Van Tyne D, Turner PE, Koff JL, Bomberger JM. Lytic bacteriophages interact with respiratory epithelial cells and induce the secretion of antiviral and proinflammatory cytokines. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.06.579115. [PMID: 38370761 PMCID: PMC10871231 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.06.579115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Phage therapy is a therapeutic approach to treat multidrug resistant infections that employs lytic bacteriophages (phages) to eliminate bacteria. Despite the abundant evidence for its success as an antimicrobial in Eastern Europe, there is scarce data regarding its effects on the human host. Here, we aimed to understand how lytic phages interact with cells of the airway epithelium, the tissue site that is colonized by bacterial biofilms in numerous chronic respiratory disorders. We determined that interactions between phages and epithelial cells depend on specific phage properties as well as physiochemical features of the microenvironment. Although poor at internalizing phages, the airway epithelium responds to phage exposure by changing its transcriptional profile and secreting antiviral and proinflammatory cytokines that correlate with specific phage families. Overall, our findings indicate that mammalian responses to phages are heterogenous and could potentially alter the way that respiratory local defenses aid in bacterial clearance during phage therapy. Thus, besides phage receptor specificity in a particular bacterial isolate, the criteria to select lytic phages for therapy should be expanded to include mammalian cell responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula F. Zamora
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, Hanover, NH
| | - Thomas G. Reidy
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Catherine R. Armbruster
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, Hanover, NH
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Ming Sun
- Center for Biological Imaging, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Daria Van Tyne
- Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Paul E. Turner
- Center for Phage Biology and Therapy, Yale University, New Haven, CT
| | - Jonathan L. Koff
- Center for Phage Biology and Therapy, Yale University, New Haven, CT
| | - Jennifer M. Bomberger
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, Hanover, NH
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26
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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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27
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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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Kulshrestha M, Tiwari M, Tiwari V. Bacteriophage therapy against ESKAPE bacterial pathogens: Current status, strategies, challenges, and future scope. Microb Pathog 2024; 186:106467. [PMID: 38036110 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2023.106467] [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: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
The ESKAPE pathogens are the primary threat due to their constant spread of drug resistance worldwide. These pathogens are also regarded as opportunistic pathogens and could potentially cause nosocomial infections. Most of the ESKAPE pathogens have developed resistance to almost all the antibiotics that are used against them. Therefore, to deal with antimicrobial resistance, there is an urgent requirement for alternative non-antibiotic strategies to combat this rising issue of drug-resistant organisms. One of the promising alternatives to this scenario is implementing bacteriophage therapy. This under-explored mode of treatment in modern medicine has posed several concerns, such as preferable phages for the treatment, impact on the microbiome (or gut microflora), dose optimisation, safety, etc. The review will cover a rationale for phage therapy, clinical challenges, and propose phage therapy as an effective therapeutic against bacterial coinfections during pandemics. This review also addresses the expected uncertainties for administering the phage as a treatment against the ESKAPE pathogens and the advantages of using lytic phage over temperate, the immune response to phages, and phages in combinational therapies. The interaction between bacteria and bacteriophages in humans and countless animal models can also be used to design novel and futuristic therapeutics like personalised medicine or bacteriophages as anti-biofilm agents. Hence, this review explores different aspects of phage therapy and its potential to emerge as a frontline therapy against the ESKAPE bacterial pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mukta Kulshrestha
- Department of Biochemistry, Central University of Rajasthan, Ajmer, 305817, India
| | - Monalisa Tiwari
- Department of Biochemistry, Central University of Rajasthan, Ajmer, 305817, India
| | - Vishvanath Tiwari
- Department of Biochemistry, Central University of Rajasthan, Ajmer, 305817, India.
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Zhuang Z, Cheng YY, Deng J, Cai Z, Zhong L, Qu JX, Wang K, Yang L. Genomic insights into the phage-defense systems of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia clinical isolates. Microbiol Res 2024; 278:127528. [PMID: 37918082 DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2023.127528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is a rapidly evolving multidrug-resistant opportunistic pathogen that can cause serious infections in immunocompromised patients. Although phage therapy is one of promising strategies for dealing with MDR bacteria, the main challenges of phage therapeutics include accumulation of phage resistant mutations and acquisition of the phage defense systems. To systematically evaluate the impact of (pro)phages in shaping genetic and evolutionary diversity of S. maltophilia, we collected 166 S. maltophilia isolates from three hospitals in southern China to analyze its pangenome, virulence factors, prophage regions, and anit-viral immune systems. Pangenome analysis indicated that there are 1328 saturated core genes and 26961 unsaturated accessory genes in the pangenome, suggesting existence of highly variable parts of S. maltophilia genome. The presence of genes in relation to T3SS and T6SS mechanisms suggests the great potential to secrete toxins by the S. maltophilia population, which is contrary to the conventional notion of low-virulence of S. maltophilia. Additionally, we characterized the pan-immune system maps of these clinical isolates against phage infections and revealed the co-harboring of CBASS and anti-CBASS in some strains, suggesting a never-ending arms race and the co-evolutionary dynamic between bacteria and phages. Furthermore, our study predicted 310 prophage regions in S. maltophilia with high genetic diversity. Six viral defense systems were found to be located at specific position of the S. maltophilia prophage genomes, indicating potential evolution of certain site/region similar to bacterial 'defense islands' in prophage. Our study provides novel insights into the S. maltophilia pangenome in relation to phage-defense mechanisms, which extends our understanding of bacterial-phage interactions and might guide the application of phage therapy in combating S. maltophilia infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zilin Zhuang
- School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, Guangdong, PR China
| | - Ying-Ying Cheng
- Shenzhen Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Second Clinical Medical College (Shenzhen People's Hospital), Jinan University, Shenzhen, PR China; BGI Forensic, Shenzhen 518083, PR China; The First Affiliated Hospital (Shenzhen People's Hospital), Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, PR China
| | - Jie Deng
- School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, Guangdong, PR China; Key University Laboratory of Metabolism and Health of Guangdong, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, Guangdong, PR China
| | - Zhao Cai
- School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, Guangdong, PR China; Key University Laboratory of Metabolism and Health of Guangdong, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, Guangdong, PR China
| | - Lin Zhong
- Shenzhen Third People's Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518112, PR China
| | - Jiu-Xin Qu
- Shenzhen Third People's Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518112, PR China
| | - Ke Wang
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, PR China.
| | - Liang Yang
- School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, Guangdong, PR China; Shenzhen Third People's Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518112, PR China; Key University Laboratory of Metabolism and Health of Guangdong, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, Guangdong, PR China.
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Normington C, Chilton CH, Buckley AM. Clostridioides difficile infections; new treatments and future perspectives. Curr Opin Gastroenterol 2024; 40:7-13. [PMID: 37942659 PMCID: PMC10715702 DOI: 10.1097/mog.0000000000000989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW As a significant cause of global morbidity and mortality, Clostridioides difficile infections (CDIs) are listed by the Centres for Disease Control and prevention as one of the top 5 urgent threats in the USA. CDI occurs from gut microbiome dysbiosis, typically through antibiotic-mediated disruption; however, antibiotics are the treatment of choice, which can result in recurrent infections. Here, we highlight new treatments available and provide a perspective on different classes of future treatments. RECENT FINDINGS Due to the reduced risk of disease recurrence, the microbiome-sparing antibiotic Fidaxomicin has been recommended as the first-line treatment for C. difficile infection. Based on the success of faecal microbiota transplantations (FMT) in treating CDI recurrence, defined microbiome biotherapeutics offer a safer and more tightly controlled alterative as an adjunct to antibiotic therapy. Given the association between antibiotic-mediated dysbiosis of the intestinal microbiota and the recurrence of CDI, future prospective therapies aim to reduce the dependence on antibiotics for the treatment of CDI. SUMMARY With current first-in-line antibiotic therapy options associated with high levels of recurrent CDI, the availability of new generation targeted therapeutics can really impact treatment success. There are still unknowns about the long-term implications of these new CDI therapeutics, but efforts to expand the CDI treatment toolbox can offer multiple solutions for clinicians to treat this multifaceted infectious disease to reduce patient suffering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charmaine Normington
- Healthcare Associated Infections Research Group, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Leeds
- Leeds Teaching Hospital Trust, Leeds General Infirmary
| | - Caroline H. Chilton
- Healthcare Associated Infections Research Group, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Leeds
- Leeds Teaching Hospital Trust, Leeds General Infirmary
| | - Anthony M. Buckley
- Microbiome and Nutritional Sciences Group, School of Food Science & Nutrition, Faculty of Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
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Adamczyk-Popławska M, Golec P, Piekarowicz A, Kwiatek A. The potential for bacteriophages and prophage elements in fighting and preventing the gonorrhea. Crit Rev Microbiol 2023:1-16. [PMID: 37897236 DOI: 10.1080/1040841x.2023.2274849] [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: 04/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/30/2023]
Abstract
Bacteriophages are the most numerous entities on earth and are found everywhere their bacterial hosts live. As natural bacteria killers, phages are extensively investigated as a potential cure for bacterial infections. Neisseria gonorrhoeae (the gonococcus) is the etiologic agent of a sexually transmitted disease: gonorrhea. The rapid increase of resistance of N. gonorrhoeae to antibiotics urges scientists to look for alternative treatments to combat gonococcal infections. Phage therapy has not been tested as an anti-gonococcal therapy so far. To date, no lytic phage has been discovered against N. gonorrhoeae. Nevertheless, gonococcal genomes contain both dsDNA and ssDNA prophages, and viral particle induction has been documented. In this review, we consider literature data about the attempts of hunting for a bacteriophage specific for gonococci - the gonophage. We also discuss the potential application of prophage elements in the fight against N. gonorrhoeae. Temperate phages may be useful in preventing and treating gonorrhea as a scaffold for anti-gonococcal vaccine development and as a source of lytic enzymes with anti-gonococcal activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Adamczyk-Popławska
- Department of Molecular Virology, Faculty of Biology, Institute of Microbiology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Piotr Golec
- Department of Molecular Virology, Faculty of Biology, Institute of Microbiology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Andrzej Piekarowicz
- Department of Molecular Virology, Faculty of Biology, Institute of Microbiology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Kwiatek
- Department of Molecular Virology, Faculty of Biology, Institute of Microbiology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
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32
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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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Thammatinna K, Sinprasertporn A, Naknaen A, Samernate T, Nuanpirom J, Chanwong P, Somboonwiwat K, Pogliano J, Sathapondecha P, Thawonsuwan J, Nonejuie P, Chaikeeratisak V. Nucleus-forming vibriophage cocktail reduces shrimp mortality in the presence of pathogenic bacteria. Sci Rep 2023; 13:17844. [PMID: 37857653 PMCID: PMC10587174 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-44840-x] [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: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The global aquaculture industry has suffered significant losses due to the outbreak of Acute Hepatopancreatic Necrosis Disease (AHPND) caused by Vibrio parahaemolyticus. Since the use of antibiotics as control agents has not been shown to be effective, an alternative anti-infective regimen, such as phage therapy, has been proposed. Here, we employed high-throughput screening for potential phages from 98 seawater samples and obtained 14 phages exhibiting diverse host specificity patterns against pathogenic VPAHPND strains. Among others, two Chimallinviridae phages, designated Eric and Ariel, exhibited the widest host spectrum against vibrios. In vitro and in vivo studies revealed that a cocktail derived from these two nucleus-forming vibriophages prolonged the bacterial regrowth of various pathogenic VPAHPND strains and reduced shrimp mortality from VPAHPND infection. This research highlights the use of high-throughput phage screening that leads to the formulation of a nucleus-forming phage cocktail applicable for bacterial infection treatment in aquaculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khrongkhwan Thammatinna
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Center of Excellence for Molecular Biology and Genomics of Shrimp, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
| | - Ammara Sinprasertporn
- Songkhla Aquatic Animal Health Research and Development Center (SAAHRDC), Department of Fisheries, Songkhla, Thailand
| | - Ampapan Naknaen
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Thanadon Samernate
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Mahidol University, Salaya, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
| | - Jiratchaya Nuanpirom
- Center for Genomics and Bioinformatics Research, Division of Biological Science, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla, Thailand
| | - Parinda Chanwong
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Kunlaya Somboonwiwat
- Center of Excellence for Molecular Biology and Genomics of Shrimp, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
| | - Joe Pogliano
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Ponsit Sathapondecha
- Center for Genomics and Bioinformatics Research, Division of Biological Science, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla, Thailand
| | - Jumroensri Thawonsuwan
- Songkhla Aquatic Animal Health Research and Development Center (SAAHRDC), Department of Fisheries, Songkhla, Thailand
| | - Poochit Nonejuie
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Mahidol University, Salaya, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
| | - Vorrapon Chaikeeratisak
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
- Center of Excellence for Molecular Biology and Genomics of Shrimp, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand.
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Hu J, Wu Y, Kang L, Liu Y, Ye H, Wang R, Zhao J, Zhang G, Li X, Wang J, Han D. Dietary D-xylose promotes intestinal health by inducing phage production in Escherichia coli. NPJ Biofilms Microbiomes 2023; 9:79. [PMID: 37821428 PMCID: PMC10567762 DOI: 10.1038/s41522-023-00445-w] [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: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Elimination of specific enteropathogenic microorganisms is critical to gut health. However, the complexity of the gut community makes it challenging to target specific bacterial organisms. Accumulating evidence suggests that various foods can change the abundance of intestinal bacteria by modulating prophage induction. By using pathogenic Escherichia coli (E. coli) ATCC 25922 as a model in this research, we explored the potential of dietary modulation of prophage induction and subsequent bacterial survival. Among a panel of sugars tested in vitro, D-xylose was shown to efficiently induce prophages in E. coli ATCC 25922, which depends, in part, upon the production of D-lactic acid. In an enteric mouse model, prophage induction was found to be further enhanced in response to propionic acid. Dietary D-xylose increased the proportion of Clostridia which converted D-lactic acid to propionic acid. Intestinal propionic acid levels were diminished, following either oral gavage with the dehydrogenase gene (ldhA)-deficient E. coli ATCC 25922 or depletion of intestinal Clostridia by administration of streptomycin. D-Xylose metabolism and exposure to propionic acid triggered E. coli ATCC 25922 SOS response that promoted prophage induction. E. coli ATCC 25922 mutant of RecA, a key component of SOS system, exhibited decreased phage production. These findings suggest the potential of using dietary components that can induce prophages as antimicrobial alternatives for disease control and prevention by targeted elimination of harmful gut bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Yifan Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Luyuan Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Yisi Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Hao Ye
- Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University & Research, NL-6700, AH, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Ran Wang
- Key Laboratory for Control Technology and Standard for Agro-product Safety and Quality, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Food Quality and Safety-State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base of Ministry of Science and Technology, Institute of Food Safety and Nutrition, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Jinbiao Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Guolong Zhang
- Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA
| | - Xilong Li
- Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Feed Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Junjun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Dandan Han
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
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Liang B, Han B, Shi Y, Li X, Zhao W, Kastelic J, Gao J. Effective of phage cocktail against Klebsiella pneumoniae infection of murine mammary glands. Microb Pathog 2023; 182:106218. [PMID: 37422172 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2023.106218] [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: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/10/2023]
Abstract
Phage therapy has potential to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria causing bovine mastitis. Our objective was to use 3 Klebsiella lytic phages to create a phage cocktail, and to compare bactericidal activity of this phage cocktail versus an individual phage, both in vitro and in vivo. Based on transmission electron microscopy, phage CM_Kpn_HB154724 belonged to Podoviridae and on double agar plates, it formed translucent plaques on the bacterial lawn of Klebsiella pneumoniae KPHB154724. In one-step growth curves, this phage had a latent period of 40 min, an outbreak period of 40 min, a burst size of 1.2 × 107 PFU/mL, and an optimal multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 1. Furthermore, it was inactivated under extreme conditions (pH ≤ 3.0 or ≥ 12.0 and temperatures of 60 or 70 °C). It had a host range of 90% and had 146 predicted genes (Illumine NovaSeq). Based on histopathology and expression of inflammatory factors interleukin-1β, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, and prostaglandin, phage cocktail therapy had better efficiency than an individual phage in K. pneumoniae-infected murine mammary glands. In conclusion, we used 3 Klebsiella lytic phages to create a phage cocktail and confirmed its effectiveness against K. pneumoniae both in vitro (bacterial lawn) and in vivo (infected murine mammary glands).
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingchun Liang
- Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Yuanmingyuan West Road, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Bo Han
- Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Yuanmingyuan West Road, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Yuxiang Shi
- College of Life Sciences and Food Engineering, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan, Hebei, 056038, China
| | - Xiaoping Li
- Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Yuanmingyuan West Road, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Wenpeng Zhao
- Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Yuanmingyuan West Road, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - John Kastelic
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Jian Gao
- Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Yuanmingyuan West Road, Beijing, 100193, China.
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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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37
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Sun S, Zhang X. Genetic characteristics and integration specificity of Salmonella enterica temperate phages. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1199843. [PMID: 37593543 PMCID: PMC10428622 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1199843] [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: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Temperate phages can engage in the horizontal transfer of functional genes to their bacterial hosts. Thus, their genetic material becomes an intimate part of bacterial genomes and plays essential roles in bacterial mutation and evolution. Specifically, temperate phages can naturally transmit genes by integrating their genomes into the bacterial host genomes via integrases. Our previous study showed that Salmonella enterica contains the largest number of temperate phages among all publicly available bacterial species. S. enterica is an important pathogen that can cause serious systemic infections and even fatalities. Methods Initially, we extracted all S. enterica temperate phages from the extensively developed temperate phage database established in our previous study. Subsequently, we conducted an in-depth analysis of the genetic characteristics and integration specificity exhibited by these S. enterica temperate phages. Results Here we identified 8,777 S. enterica temperate phages, all of which have integrases in their genomes. We found 491 non-redundant S. enterica temperate phage integrases (integrase entries). S. enterica temperate phage integrases were classified into three types: intA, intS, and phiRv2. Correlation analysis showed that the sequence lengths of S. enterica integrase and core regions of attB and attP were strongly correlated. Further phylogenetic analysis and taxonomic classification indicated that both the S. enterica temperate phage genomes and the integrase gene sequences were of high diversities. Discussion Our work provides insight into the essential integration specificity and genetic diversity of S. enterica temperate phages. This study paves the way for a better understanding of the interactions between phages and S. enterica. By analyzing a large number of S. enterica temperate phages and their integrases, we provide valuable insights into the genetic diversity and prevalence of these elements. This knowledge has important implications for developing targeted therapeutic interventions, such as phage therapy, to combat S. enterica infections. By harnessing the lytic capabilities of temperate phages, they can be engineered or utilized in phage cocktails to specifically target and eradicate S. enterica strains, offering an alternative or complementary approach to traditional antibiotic treatments. Our study has implications for public health and holds potential significance in combating clinical infections caused by S. enterica.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siqi Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
- Department of Life Sciences and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Chaoyang, Beijing, China
| | - Xianglilan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
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Abdelghafar A, El-Ganiny A, Shaker G, Askoura M. Isolation of a bacteriophage targeting Pseudomonas aeruginosa and exhibits a promising in vivo efficacy. AMB Express 2023; 13:79. [PMID: 37495819 PMCID: PMC10371947 DOI: 10.1186/s13568-023-01582-3] [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: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an important pathogen that causes serious infections. Bacterial biofilms are highly resistant and render bacterial treatment very difficult, therefore necessitates alternative antibacterial strategies. Phage therapy has been recently regarded as a potential therapeutic option for treatment of bacterial infections. In the current study, a novel podovirus vB_PaeP_PS28 has been isolated from sewage with higher lytic activity against P. aeruginosa. Isolated phage exhibits a short latent period, large burst size and higher stability over a wide range of temperatures and pH. The genome of vB_PaeP_PS28 consists of 72,283 bp circular double-stranded DNA, with G + C content of 54.75%. The phage genome contains 94 open reading frames (ORFs); 32 for known functional proteins and 62 for hypothetical proteins and no tRNA genes. The phage vB_PaeP_PS28 effectively inhibited the growth of P. aeruginosa planktonic cells and displayed a higher biofilm degrading capability. Moreover, therapeutic efficacy of isolated phage was evaluated in vivo using mice infection model. Interestingly, survival of mice infected with P. aeruginosa was significantly enhanced upon treatment with vB_PaeP_PS28. Furthermore, the bacterial load in liver and kidney isolated from mice infected with P. aeruginosa and treated with phage markedly decreased as compared with phage-untreated P. aeruginosa-infected mice. These findings support the efficacy of isolated phage vB_PaeP_PS28 in reducing P. aeruginosa colonization and pathogenesis in host. Importantly, the isolated phage vB_PaeP_PS28 could be applied alone or as combination therapy with other lytic phages as phage cocktail therapy or with antibiotics to limit infections caused by P. aeruginosa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aliaa Abdelghafar
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zagazig University, Zagazig, 44519, Egypt
| | - Amira El-Ganiny
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zagazig University, Zagazig, 44519, Egypt
| | - Ghada Shaker
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zagazig University, Zagazig, 44519, Egypt
| | - Momen Askoura
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zagazig University, Zagazig, 44519, Egypt.
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Lv R, Gao X, Zhang C, Lian W, Quan X, Guo S, Chen X. Characteristics and Whole-Genome Analysis of Limosilactobacillus fermentum Phage LFP02. Foods 2023; 12:2716. [PMID: 37509808 PMCID: PMC10379269 DOI: 10.3390/foods12142716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Limosilactobacillus fermentum is a bacterium widely used in food production, medicine, and industrial fermentation. However, fermentation could fail due to phage contamination. L. fermentum bacteriophage LFP02 can be induced from L. fermentum IMAU 32579 using mitomycin C. To better understand the characteristics of this phage, its physiological and genomic characteristics were evaluated. The results showed that its optimal multiplicity of infection was 0.01, and the burst size was 148.03 ± 2.65 pfu/infective center. Compared to temperature, pH had a more obvious influence on phage viability, although its adsorption capacity was not affected by the divalent cations (Ca2+ and Mg2+) or chloramphenicol. Its genome size was 43,789 bp and the GC content was 46.06%, including 53 functional proteins. Compared to other L. fermentum phages, phage LFP02 had chromosome deletion, insertion, and inversion, which demonstrated that it was a novel phage. This study could expand the knowledge of the biological characteristics of L. fermentum bacteriophages and provide some theoretical basis for bacteriophage prevention during fermentation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruirui Lv
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Dairy Biotechnology and Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Products Processing, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Biotechnology and Engineering, Ministry of Education, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
| | - Xin Gao
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Dairy Biotechnology and Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Products Processing, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Biotechnology and Engineering, Ministry of Education, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
| | - Can Zhang
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Dairy Biotechnology and Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Products Processing, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Biotechnology and Engineering, Ministry of Education, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
| | - Weiqi Lian
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Dairy Biotechnology and Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Products Processing, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Biotechnology and Engineering, Ministry of Education, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
| | - Xingyu Quan
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Dairy Biotechnology and Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Products Processing, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Biotechnology and Engineering, Ministry of Education, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
| | - She Guo
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Dairy Biotechnology and Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Products Processing, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Biotechnology and Engineering, Ministry of Education, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
| | - Xia Chen
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Dairy Biotechnology and Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Products Processing, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Biotechnology and Engineering, Ministry of Education, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
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Mardiana M, Teh SH, Tsai YC, Yang HH, Lin LC, Lin NT. Characterization of a novel and active temperate phage vB_AbaM_ABMM1 with antibacterial activity against Acinetobacter baumannii infection. Sci Rep 2023; 13:11347. [PMID: 37443351 PMCID: PMC10345192 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-38453-7] [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: 04/08/2023] [Accepted: 07/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Acinetobacter baumannii is an opportunistic pathogen that significantly causes hospital-acquired infections. Due to its multidrug resistance, treating infections caused by this pathogen is challenging. Recently, phages have gained attention as a potential alternative to antibiotics in treating bacterial infections. While lytic phages are preferred in therapy, the use of temperate phages for this purpose has received less attention. This study characterized a novel temperate phage vB_AbaM_ABMM1 (ABMM1) with antibacterial activity toward A. baumannii. ABMM1 adsorbs quickly, has short latent periods, and is relatively stable at various temperatures and neutral pH. ABMM1 has an icosahedral head and a contractile tail. It has a 75,731 kb circular permuted dsDNA genome containing 86 gene products with 37.3% G + C content and a mosaic arrangement typical of temperate phages. Genomic analysis confirmed that ABMM1 does not have antibiotic-resistance genes or virulence-related factors. The packaging strategy was predicted in silico, suggesting that ABMM1 represents a headful phage. Only truncated ABMM1 prophage was detected and has similarity in the genome of several A. baumannii strains. Despite its ability to integrate into the host chromosome, the high MOI of ABMM1 (MOI 10) effectively killed the host bacterial cells and reduced the fatality rate of bacterial infection in the zebrafish model. These findings indicate that ABMM1 can be an alternative treatment for A. baumannii infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meity Mardiana
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Tzu Chi University, No. 701, Sec. 3, Zhongyang Rd., Hualien, 97004, Taiwan
| | - Soon-Hian Teh
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, No. 707, Sec. 3, Zhongyang Rd., Hualien, 97004, Taiwan
| | - Yun-Chan Tsai
- Department of Life Sciences, Tzu Chi University, No. 701, Sec. 3, Zhongyang Rd., Hualien, 97004, Taiwan
| | - Hsueh-Hui Yang
- Department of Medical Research, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, No. 707, Sec. 3, Zhongyang Rd., Hualien, 97004, Taiwan
| | - Ling-Chun Lin
- Master Program in Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, Tzu Chi University, No. 701, Sec. 3, Zhongyang Rd., Hualien, 97004, Taiwan.
| | - Nien-Tsung Lin
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Tzu Chi University, No. 701, Sec. 3, Zhongyang Rd., Hualien, 97004, Taiwan.
- Master Program in Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, Tzu Chi University, No. 701, Sec. 3, Zhongyang Rd., Hualien, 97004, Taiwan.
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Li X, Xu C, Liang B, Kastelic JP, Han B, Tong X, Gao J. Alternatives to antibiotics for treatment of mastitis in dairy cows. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1160350. [PMID: 37404775 PMCID: PMC10315858 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1160350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Mastitis is considered the costliest disease on dairy farms and also adversely affects animal welfare. As treatment (and to a lesser extent prevention) of mastitis rely heavily on antibiotics, there are increasing concerns in veterinary and human medicine regarding development of antimicrobial resistance. Furthermore, with genes conferring resistance being capable of transfer to heterologous strains, reducing resistance in strains of animal origin should have positive impacts on humans. This article briefly reviews potential roles of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), herbal medicines, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), bacteriophages and their lytic enzymes, vaccination and other emerging therapies for prevention and treatment of mastitis in dairy cows. Although many of these approaches currently lack proven therapeutic efficacy, at least some may gradually replace antibiotics, especially as drug-resistant bacteria are proliferating globally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoping Li
- Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Chuang Xu
- Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Bingchun Liang
- Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - John P. Kastelic
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Bo Han
- Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaofang Tong
- Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Jian Gao
- Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
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Arora P, Jain A, Kumar A. Phage design and directed evolution to evolve phage for therapy. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2023; 200:103-126. [PMID: 37739551 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2023.03.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/24/2023]
Abstract
Phage therapy or Phage treatment is the use of bacteriolysing phage in treating bacterial infections by using the viruses that infects and kills bacteria. This technique has been studied and practiced very long ago, but with the advent of antibiotics, it has been neglected. This foregone technique is now witnessing a revival due to development of bacterial resistance. Nowadays, with the awareness of genetic sequence of organisms, it is required that informed choices of phages have to be made for the most efficacious results. Furthermore, phages with the evolving genes are taken into consideration for the subsequent improvement in treating the patients for bacterial diseases. In addition, direct evolution methods are increasingly developing, since these are capable of creating new biological molecules having changed or unique activities, such as, improved target specificity, evolution of novel proteins with new catalytic properties or creation of nucleic acids that are capable of recognizing required pathogenic bacteria. This system is incorporates continuous evolution such as protein or genes are put under continuous evolution by providing continuous mutagenesis with least human intervention. Although, this system providing continuous directed evolution is very effective, it imposes some challenges due to requirement of heavy investment of time and resources. This chapter focuses on development of phage as a therapeutic agent against various bacteria causing diseases and it improvement using direct evolution of proteins and nucleic acids such that they target specific organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priyancka Arora
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Rama University, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Avni Jain
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Rama University, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Ajay Kumar
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Rama University, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India.
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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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Kong J, Xuan G, Lin H, Wang J. Characterization of a novel phage vB_Pae_HB2107-3I that infects Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Mol Genet Genomics 2023:10.1007/s00438-023-02037-x. [PMID: 37247008 DOI: 10.1007/s00438-023-02037-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Bacteriophages are potential antibiotic substitutes for the treatment of antibiotic resistant bacteria. Here, we report the genome sequences of a double-stranded DNA podovirus vB_Pae_HB2107-3I against clinical multi-drug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Phage vB_Pae_HB2107-3I remained stable over a wide range of temperatures (37-60 °C) and pH values (pH 4-12). At MOI of 0.01, the latent period of vB_Pae_HB2107-3I was 10 min, and the final titer reached about 8.1 × 109 PFU/mL. The vB_Pae_HB2107-3I genome is 45,929 bp, with an average G + C content of 57%. A total of 72 open reading frames (ORFs) were predicted, of which 22 ORFs have a predicted function. Genome analyses confirmed the lysogenic nature of this phage. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that phage vB_Pae_HB2107-3I was a novel member of Caudovirales infecting P. aeruginosa. The characterization of vB_Pae_HB2107-3I enrich the research on Pseudomonas phages and provide a promising biocontrol agent against P. aeruginosa infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiuna Kong
- Food Safety Laboratory, College of Food Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Guanhua Xuan
- Food Safety Laboratory, College of Food Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Hong Lin
- Food Safety Laboratory, College of Food Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Jingxue Wang
- Food Safety Laboratory, College of Food Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China.
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Li Y, Xiao S, Huang G. Acinetobacter baumannii Bacteriophage: Progress in Isolation, Genome Sequencing, Preclinical Research, and Clinical Application. Curr Microbiol 2023; 80:199. [PMID: 37120784 PMCID: PMC10149043 DOI: 10.1007/s00284-023-03295-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/01/2023]
Abstract
Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) is a common nosocomial pathogen associated with serious clinical challenges owing to its rapidly increasing resistance to antibiotics. Due to their high host specificity and easy access to the natural environment, bacteriophages (phages) may serve as good antibacterial agents. Phage therapy has been successfully used to treat antibiotic-resistant A. baumannii infections. As a fundamental step before phage therapy, the characterization and sequencing of A. baumannii phages have been well studied. Until October 2022, 132 A. baumannii phages have been sequenced and studied, with their genomes ranging from 4 to 234 kb, and we summarize the characterized and sequenced A. baumannii phages. This review is a current and short overview that does not go into detail on the A. baumannii phages. In addition, preclinical studies and clinical applications of A. baumannii phages are also included.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanqi Li
- Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
| | - Shune Xiao
- Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China.
| | - Guangtao Huang
- Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China.
- Department of Burn and Plastic Surgery, Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, Shenzhen, 518035, China.
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Chen L, Hou X, Chu H. The Novel Role of Phage Particles in Chronic Liver Diseases. Microorganisms 2023; 11:1181. [PMID: 37317156 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11051181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The gut microbiome is made up of bacteria, fungi, viruses and archaea, all of which are closely related with human health. As the main component of enterovirus, the role of bacteriophages (phages) in chronic liver disease has been gradually recognized. Chronic liver diseases, including alcohol-related liver disease and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, exhibit alterations of the enteric phages. Phages shape intestinal bacterial colonization and regulate bacterial metabolism. Phages adjoining to intestinal epithelial cells prevent bacteria from invading the intestinal barrier, and mediate intestinal inflammatory response. Phages are also observed increasing intestinal permeability and migrating to peripheral blood and organs, likely contributing to inflammatory injury in chronic liver diseases. By preying on harmful bacteria, phages can improve the gut microbiome of patients with chronic liver disease and thus act as an effective treatment method.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liuying Chen
- Division of Gastroenterology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1277 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Xiaohua Hou
- Division of Gastroenterology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1277 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Huikuan Chu
- Division of Gastroenterology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1277 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan 430022, China
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Yuan X, Huang Z, Zhu Z, Zhang J, Wu Q, Xue L, Wang J, Ding Y. Recent advances in phage defense systems and potential overcoming strategies. Biotechnol Adv 2023; 65:108152. [PMID: 37037289 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2023.108152] [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: 12/23/2022] [Revised: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/12/2023]
Abstract
Bacteriophages are effective in the prevention and control of bacteria, and many phage products have been permitted and applied in the field. Because bacteriophages are expected to replace other antimicrobial agents like antibiotics, the antibacterial effect of bacteriophage has attracted widespread attention. Recently, the diversified defense systems discovered in the target host have become potential threats to the continued effective application of phages. Therefore, a systematic summary and in-depth illustration of the interaction between phages and bacteria is conducive to the development of this biological control approach. In this review, we introduce different defense systems in bacteria against phages and emphasize newly discovered defense mechanisms in recent years. Additionally, we draw attention to the striking resemblance between defense system genes and antibiotic resistance genes, which raises concerns about the potential transfer of phage defense systems within bacterial populations and its future impact on phage efficacy. Thus, attention should be given to the effects of phage defense genes in practical applications. This article is not exhaustive, but strategies to overcome phage defense systems are also discussed to further promote more efficient use of phages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoming Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiomics and Precision Application, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Safety and Health, Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510070, China; Department of Food Science & Engineering, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Zhichao Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiomics and Precision Application, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Safety and Health, Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510070, China; Department of Food Science & Engineering, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Zhenjun Zhu
- Department of Food Science & Engineering, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Jumei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiomics and Precision Application, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Safety and Health, Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510070, China
| | - Qingping Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiomics and Precision Application, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Safety and Health, Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510070, China
| | - Liang Xue
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiomics and Precision Application, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Safety and Health, Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510070, China
| | - Juan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiomics and Precision Application, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Safety and Health, Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510070, China; College of Food Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510432, China.
| | - Yu Ding
- Department of Food Science & Engineering, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.
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Jia PP, Yang YF, Junaid M, Jia HJ, Li WG, Pei DS. Bacteriophage-based techniques for elucidating the function of zebrafish gut microbiota. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2023; 107:2039-2059. [PMID: 36847856 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-023-12439-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2022] [Revised: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/01/2023]
Abstract
Bacteriophages (or phages) are unique viruses that can specifically infect bacteria. Since their discovery by Twort and d'Herelle, phages with bacterial specificity have played important roles in microbial regulation. The intestinal microbiota and host health are intimately linked with nutrient, metabolism, development, and immunity aspects. However, the mechanism of interactions between the composition of the microbiota and their functions in maintaining host health still needs to be further explored. To address the lack of methodology and functions of intestinal microbiota in the host, we first proposed that, with the regulations of special intestinal microbiota and applications of germ-free (GF) zebrafish model, phages would be used to infect and reduce/eliminate the defined gut bacteria in the conventionally raised (CR) zebrafish and compared with the GF zebrafish colonized with defined bacterial strains. Thus, this review highlighted the background and roles of phages and their functional characteristics, and we also summarized the phage-specific infection of target microorganisms, methods to improve the phage specificity, and their regulation within the zebrafish model and gut microbial functional study. Moreover, the primary protocol of phage therapy to control the intestinal microbiota in zebrafish models from larvae to adults was recommended including phage screening from natural sources, identification of host ranges, and experimental design in the animal. A well understanding of the interaction and mechanism between phages and gut bacteria in the host can potentially provide powerful strategies or techniques for preventing bacteria-related human diseases by precisely regulating in vitro and in vivo, which will provide novel insights for phages' application and combined research in the future. KEY POINTS: • Zebrafish models for clarifying the microbial and phages' functions were discussed • Phages infect host bacteria with exquisite specificity and efficacy • Phages can reduce/eliminate the defined gut bacteria to clarify their function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pan-Pan Jia
- School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Yi-Fan Yang
- School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
- College of Life Science, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, 453007, China
| | - Muhammad Junaid
- Joint Laboratory of Guangdong Province and Hong Kong Region On Marine Bioresource Conservation and Exploitation, College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Huang-Jie Jia
- School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Wei-Guo Li
- College of Life Science, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, 453007, China
| | - De-Sheng Pei
- School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China.
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do Socorro Fôro Ramos E, Bahia SL, de Oliveira Ribeiro G, Villanova F, de Pádua Milagres FA, Brustulin R, Pandey RP, Deng X, Delwart E, da Costa AC, Leal É. Characterization of Phietavirus Henu 2 in the virome of individuals with acute gastroenteritis. Virus Genes 2023; 59:464-472. [PMID: 37004601 DOI: 10.1007/s11262-023-01990-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 04/04/2023]
Abstract
There is a growing interest in phages as potential biotechnological tools in human health owing to the antibacterial activity of these viruses. In this study, we characterized a new member (named PhiV_005_BRA/2016) of the recently identified phage species Phietavirus Henu 2. PhiV_005_BRA/2016 was detected through metagenomic analysis of stool samples of individuals with acute gastroenteritis. PhiV_005_BRA/2016 contains double-stranded linear DNA (dsDNA), it has a genome of 43,513 base pairs (bp), with a high identity score (99%) with phage of the genus Phietavirus, species of Phietavirus Henu 2. Life style prediction indicated that PhiV_005_BRA/2016 is a lysogenic phage whose the main host is methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Indeed, we found PhiV_005_BRA/2016 partially integrated in the genome of distinct MRSA strains. Our findings highlights the importance of large-scale screening of bacteriophages to better understand the emergence of multi-drug resistant bacterial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Endrya do Socorro Fôro Ramos
- Laboratório de Diversidade Viral, Instituto de Ciências Biológicais, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Pará, 66075-000, Brazil
| | - Santana Lobato Bahia
- Laboratório de Diversidade Viral, Instituto de Ciências Biológicais, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Pará, 66075-000, Brazil
| | - Geovani de Oliveira Ribeiro
- Laboratório de Diversidade Viral, Instituto de Ciências Biológicais, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Pará, 66075-000, Brazil
| | - Fabiola Villanova
- Laboratório de Diversidade Viral, Instituto de Ciências Biológicais, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Pará, 66075-000, Brazil
| | - Flávio Augusto de Pádua Milagres
- Secretaria de Saúde do Tocantins, Palmas, Tocantins, 77453-000, Brazil
- Laboratório Central de Saúde Pública do Tocantins (LACEN/TO), Palmas, Tocantins, 77016-330, Brazil
| | - Rafael Brustulin
- Secretaria de Saúde do Tocantins, Palmas, Tocantins, 77453-000, Brazil
- Laboratório Central de Saúde Pública do Tocantins (LACEN/TO), Palmas, Tocantins, 77016-330, Brazil
| | - Ramendra Pati Pandey
- Centre for Drug Design Discovery and Development (C4D), SRM University Delhi-NCR, Rajiv Gandhi Education City, Sonepat, Haryana, 131029, India
| | - Xutao Deng
- Vitalant Research Institute, 270 Masonic Avenue, San Francisco, CA, 94118-4417, USA
- Department Laboratory Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Eric Delwart
- Vitalant Research Institute, 270 Masonic Avenue, San Francisco, CA, 94118-4417, USA
- Department Laboratory Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | | | - Élcio Leal
- Laboratório de Diversidade Viral, Instituto de Ciências Biológicais, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Pará, 66075-000, Brazil.
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50
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Ma R, Chen X, Li Y, Jiao N, Zhang R. Diversity, evolution and life strategies of CbK-like phages. Environ Microbiol 2023. [PMID: 36807729 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2023]
Abstract
Caulobacter phage CbK has been extensively studied as a model system in virology and bacteriology. Lysogeny-related genes have been found in each CbK-like isolate, suggesting a life strategy of both lytic and lysogenic cycles. However, whether CbK-related phages can enter lysogeny is still undetermined. This study identified new CbK-like sequences and expanded the collection of CbK-related phages. A common ancestry with a temperate lifestyle was predicted for the group, however, which subsequently evolved into two clades of different genome sizes and host associations. Through the examination of phage recombinase genes, alignment of attachment sites on the phage and bacterial genomes (attP-attB pairing), and the experimental validation, different lifestyles were found among the different members. A majority of clade II members retain a lysogenic lifestyle, whereas all clade I members have evolved into an obligate lytic lifestyle via a loss of the gene encoding Cre-like recombinase and the coupled attP fragment. We postulated that the loss of lysogeny may be a by-product of the increase in phage genome size, and vice versa. Clade I is likely to overcome the costs through maintaining more auxiliary metabolic genes (AMGs), particularly for those involved in protein metabolism, to strengthen host takeover and further benefit virion production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruijie Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Fujian Key Laboratory of Marine Carbon Sequestration, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Xiaowei Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Fujian Key Laboratory of Marine Carbon Sequestration, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Yingying Li
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Fujian Key Laboratory of Marine Carbon Sequestration, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Nianzhi Jiao
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Fujian Key Laboratory of Marine Carbon Sequestration, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Rui Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Fujian Key Laboratory of Marine Carbon Sequestration, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.,Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai, China
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