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Nakonieczna A, Abramowicz K, Kwiatek M, Kowalczyk E. Lysins as a powerful alternative to combat Bacillus anthracis. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2024; 108:366. [PMID: 38850320 PMCID: PMC11162388 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-024-13194-3] [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: 02/09/2024] [Revised: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/10/2024]
Abstract
This review gathers all, to the best of our current knowledge, known lysins, mainly bacteriophage-derived, that have demonstrated activity against Bacillus anthracis strains. B. anthracis is a spore-forming, toxin-producing bacteria, naturally dwelling in soil. It is best known as a potential biowarfare threat, an etiological agent of anthrax, and a severe zoonotic disease. Anthrax can be treated with antibiotics (ciprofloxacin, penicillin, doxycycline); however, their administration may take up even to 60 days, and different factors can compromise their effectiveness. Bacterial viruses, bacteriophages (phages), are natural enemies of bacteria and use their lytic enzymes, endolysins (lysins), to specifically kill bacterial cells. Harnessing the potential of lysins to combat bacterial infections holds promise for diminishing antibiotic usage and, consequently, addressing the escalating antibiotic resistance in bacteria. In this context, we list the lysins with the activity against B. anthracis, providing a summary of their lytic properties in vitro and the outcomes observed in animal models. Bacillus cereus strain ATCC 4342/RSVF1, a surrogate for B. anthracis, was also included as a target bacteria. KEY POINTS: • More than a dozen different B. anthracis lysins have been identified and studied. • They fall into three blocks regarding their amino acid sequence similarity and most of them are amidases. • Lysins could be used in treating B. anthracis infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandra Nakonieczna
- Military Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Biological Threats Identification and Countermeasure Center, Puławy, 24-100, Poland.
| | - Karolina Abramowicz
- Military Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Biological Threats Identification and Countermeasure Center, Puławy, 24-100, Poland
| | - Magdalena Kwiatek
- Military Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Biological Threats Identification and Countermeasure Center, Puławy, 24-100, Poland
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Li Y, Luo L, Wang W, Hong B, Ma Y, Wang J. Characterization of a cell wall hydrolase with high activity against vegetative cells, spores and biofilm of Bacillus cereus. Int J Food Microbiol 2024; 414:110617. [PMID: 38335884 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2024.110617] [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: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 12/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Bacillus cereus is a prevalent foodborne pathogen that induces food poisoning symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea. Its capacity to form spores and biofilm enables it to withstand disinfectants and antimicrobials, leading to persistent contamination during food processing. Consequently, it is necessary to develop novel and efficient antimicrobial agents to control B. cereus, its spores, and biofilms. Peptidoglycan hydrolases have emerged as a promising and eco-friendly alternative owing to their specific lytic activity against pathogenic bacteria. Here, we identified and characterized a Lysozyme-like cell wall hydrolase Lys14579, from the genome of B. cereus ATCC 14579. Recombinant Lys14579 specifically lysed B. cereus without affecting other bacteria. Lys14579 exhibited strong lytic activity against B. cereus, effectively lysing B. cereus cell within 20 min at low concentration (10 μg/mL). It also inhibited the germination of B. cereus spores and prevented biofilm formation at 12.5 μg/mL. Moreover, Lys14579 displayed good antimicrobial stability with negligible hemolysis in mouse red blood cells and no cytotoxicity against RAW264.7 cells. Notably, Lys14579 effectively inhibited B. cereus in boiled rice and minced meat in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, bioinformatics analysis and point mutagenesis experiments revealed that Glu-47 was the catalytic site, and Asp-57, Gln-60, Ser-61 and Glu-63 were active-site residues related with the cell wall lytic activity. Taken together, Lys14579 could be a promising biocontrol agent against vegetative cells, spores, and biofilm of B. cereus in food industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanmei Li
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Lun Luo
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Wenhai Wang
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Bin Hong
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yi Ma
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Fermentation and Enzyme Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Jufang Wang
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Fermentation and Enzyme Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China.
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Effective Therapeutic Options for Melioidosis: Antibiotics versus Phage Therapy. Pathogens 2022; 12:pathogens12010011. [PMID: 36678359 PMCID: PMC9863960 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12010011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Melioidosis, also known as Whitmore's disease, is a potentially fatal infection caused by the Gram-negative bacteria Burkholderia pseudomallei with a mortality rate of 10-50%. The condition is a "glanders-like" illness prevalent in Southeast Asian and Northern Australian regions and can affect humans, animals, and sometimes plants. Melioidosis received the epithet "the great mimicker" owing to its vast spectrum of non-specific clinical manifestations, such as localised abscesses, septicaemia, pneumonia, septic arthritis, osteomyelitis, and encephalomyelitis, which often lead to misdiagnosis and ineffective treatment. To date, antibiotics remain the backbone of melioidosis treatment, which includes intravenous therapy with ceftazidime or meropenem, followed by oral therapy with TMP-SMX or amoxicillin/clavulanic acid and supported by adjunctive treatment. However, bacteria have developed resistance to a series of antibiotics, including clinically significant ones, during treatment. Therefore, phage therapy has gained unprecedented interest and has been proposed as an alternative treatment. Although no effective phage therapy has been published, the findings of experimental phage therapies suggest that the concept could be feasible. This article reviews the benefits and limitations of antibiotics and phage therapy in terms of established regimens, bacterial resistance, host specificity, and biofilm degradation.
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Batinovic S, Stanton CR, Rice DTF, Rowe B, Beer M, Petrovski S. Tyroviruses are a new group of temperate phages that infect Bacillus species in soil environments worldwide. BMC Genomics 2022; 23:777. [PMID: 36443683 PMCID: PMC9703825 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-022-09023-4] [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: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bacteriophages are widely considered to be highly abundant and genetically diverse, with their role in the evolution and virulence of many pathogens becoming increasingly clear. Less attention has been paid on phages preying on Bacillus, despite the potential for some of its members, such as Bacillus anthracis, to cause serious human disease. RESULTS We have isolated five phages infecting the causative agent of anthrax, Bacillus anthracis. Using modern phylogenetic approaches we place these five new Bacillus phages, as well as 21 similar phage genomes retrieved from publicly available databases and metagenomic datasets into the Tyrovirus group, a newly proposed group named so due to the conservation of three distinct tyrosine recombinases. Genomic analysis of these large phages (~ 160-170 kb) reveals their DNA packaging mechanism and genomic features contributing to virion morphogenesis, host cell lysis and phage DNA replication processes. Analysis of the three tyrosine recombinases suggest Tyroviruses undergo a prophage lifecycle that may involve both host integration and plasmid stages. Further we show that Tyroviruses rely on divergent invasion mechanisms, with a subset requiring host S-layer for infection. CONCLUSIONS Ultimately, we expand upon our understanding on the classification, phylogeny, and genomic organisation of a new and substantial phage group that prey on critically relevant Bacillus species. In an era characterised by a rapidly evolving landscape of phage genomics the deposition of future Tyroviruses will allow the further unravelling of the global spread and evolutionary history of these Bacillus phages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven Batinovic
- grid.1018.80000 0001 2342 0938Department of Physiology, Anatomy, and Microbiology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC Australia ,grid.268446.a0000 0001 2185 8709Present address: Division of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, Yokohama National University, Yokohama, Kanagawa Japan
| | - Cassandra R. Stanton
- grid.1018.80000 0001 2342 0938Department of Physiology, Anatomy, and Microbiology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC Australia
| | - Daniel T. F. Rice
- grid.1018.80000 0001 2342 0938Department of Physiology, Anatomy, and Microbiology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC Australia
| | - Brittany Rowe
- grid.1018.80000 0001 2342 0938Department of Physiology, Anatomy, and Microbiology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC Australia
| | - Michael Beer
- grid.431245.50000 0004 0385 5290Defence Science and Technology Group, Fishermans Bend, Victoria, Australia
| | - Steve Petrovski
- grid.1018.80000 0001 2342 0938Department of Physiology, Anatomy, and Microbiology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC Australia
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Wang Y, Li X, Dance DAB, Xia H, Chen C, Luo N, Li A, Li Y, Zhu Q, Sun Q, Wu X, Zeng Y, Chen L, Tian S, Xia Q. A novel lytic phage potentially effective for phage therapy against Burkholderia pseudomallei in the tropics. Infect Dis Poverty 2022; 11:87. [PMID: 35927751 PMCID: PMC9351088 DOI: 10.1186/s40249-022-01012-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Burkholderia pseudomallei is a tropical pathogen that causes melioidosis. Its intrinsic drug-resistance is a leading cause of treatment failure, and the few available antibiotics require prolonged use to be effective. This study aimed to assess the clinical potential of B. pseudomallei phages isolated from Hainan, China.
Methods Burkholderia pseudomallei strain (HNBP001) was used as the isolation host, and phages were recovered from domestic environmental sources, which were submitted to the host range determination, lytic property assays, and stability tests. The best candidate was examined via the transmission electron microscope for classification. With its genome sequenced and analyzed, its protective efficacy against B. pseudomallei infection in A549 cells and Caenorhabditis elegans was evaluated, in which cell viability and survival rates were compared using the one-way ANOVA method and the log-rank test. Results A phage able to lyse 24/25 clinical isolates was recovered. It was classified in the Podoviridae family and was found to be amenable to propagation. Under the optimal multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 0.1, an eclipse period of around 20 min and a high titer (1012 PFU/ml) produced within 1 h were demonstrated. This phage was found stabile at a wide range of temperatures (24, 37, 40, 50, and 60 °C) and pH values (3–12). After being designated as vB_BpP_HN01, it was fully sequenced, and the 71,398 bp linear genome, containing 93 open reading frames and a tRNA-Asn, displayed a low sequence similarity with known viruses. Additionally, protective effects of applications of vB_BpP_HN01 (MOI = 0.1 and MOI = 1) alone or in combination with antibiotics were found to improve viability of infected cells (70.6 ± 6.8%, 85.8 ± 5.7%, 91.9 ± 1.8%, and 96.8 ± 1.8%, respectively). A significantly reduced mortality (10%) and a decreased pathogen load were demonstrated in infected C. elegans following the addition of this phage. Conclusions As the first B. pseudomallei phage was isolated in Hainan, China, phage vB_BpP_HN01 was characterized by promising lytic property, stability, and efficiency of bacterial elimination during the in vitro/vivo experiments. Therefore, we can conclude that it is a potential alternative agent for combating melioidosis. Graphical Abstract ![]()
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40249-022-01012-9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanshuang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, NHC Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control, School of Tropical Medicine and The Second Affiliated Hospital, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan, China.,Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Xuemiao Li
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, NHC Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control, School of Tropical Medicine and The Second Affiliated Hospital, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan, China
| | - David A B Dance
- Lao-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital-Wellcome Trust Research Unit, Vientiane, Lao People's Democratic Republic.,Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.,Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Han Xia
- Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chen Chen
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, NHC Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control, School of Tropical Medicine and The Second Affiliated Hospital, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan, China
| | - Nini Luo
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, NHC Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control, School of Tropical Medicine and The Second Affiliated Hospital, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan, China
| | - Anyang Li
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, NHC Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control, School of Tropical Medicine and The Second Affiliated Hospital, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan, China
| | - Yanmei Li
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, NHC Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control, School of Tropical Medicine and The Second Affiliated Hospital, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan, China
| | - Qiao Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, NHC Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control, School of Tropical Medicine and The Second Affiliated Hospital, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan, China
| | - Qinghui Sun
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, NHC Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control, School of Tropical Medicine and The Second Affiliated Hospital, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan, China
| | - Xingyong Wu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, NHC Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control, School of Tropical Medicine and The Second Affiliated Hospital, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan, China
| | - Yingfei Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, NHC Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control, School of Tropical Medicine and The Second Affiliated Hospital, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan, China
| | - Lin Chen
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Shen Tian
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, NHC Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control, School of Tropical Medicine and The Second Affiliated Hospital, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan, China.
| | - Qianfeng Xia
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, NHC Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control, School of Tropical Medicine and The Second Affiliated Hospital, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan, China.
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Influence of the Phagemid PfNC7401 on Cereulide-Producing Bacillus cereus NC7401. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10050953. [PMID: 35630395 PMCID: PMC9143728 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10050953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
A phagemid-cured strain, NC7401-∆Pf, was constructed to survey the biological function of the plasmidal prophage PfNC7401 in cereulide-producing Bacillus cereus NC7401. The transcriptome analysis between the mutant and the wild strains revealed a series of differentially expressed genes mainly involved in different function classifications, including the two-component signal transduction system, bacterial structure, transporters, related antibiotic response, purine biosynthesis, non-ribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPS) and related secondary metabolites, and aromatic or other amino acid synthesis. BIOLOG and phenotypic experiment analyses confirmed that PfNC7401 may affect phage immunity and the metabolism of several amino acids, including L-Alanine, which was suggested to be related to one precursor (D-Alanine) of cereulide synthesis. However, neither the transcription levels of the cereulide production-related genes (e.g., ilvB, cesA, cesB, and cesH) nor the cereulide production nor cell cytotoxicity were affected by the presence or absence of PfNC7401, corresponding with the transcriptome data, in which only four genes unrelated to cereulide synthesis on the plasmid-carrying ces gene cluster were affected by the curing of PfNC7401.
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