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Zhang Y, Li R, Zou G, Guo Y, Wu R, Zhou Y, Chen H, Zhou R, Lavigne R, Bergen PJ, Li J, Li J. Discovery of Antimicrobial Lysins from the "Dark Matter" of Uncharacterized Phages Using Artificial Intelligence. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024:e2404049. [PMID: 38899839 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202404049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2024] [Revised: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
The rapid rise of antibiotic resistance and slow discovery of new antibiotics have threatened global health. While novel phage lysins have emerged as potential antibacterial agents, experimental screening methods for novel lysins pose significant challenges due to the enormous workload. Here, the first unified software package, namely DeepLysin, is developed to employ artificial intelligence for mining the vast genome reservoirs ("dark matter") for novel antibacterial phage lysins. Putative lysins are computationally screened from uncharacterized Staphylococcus aureus phages and 17 novel lysins are randomly selected for experimental validation. Seven candidates exhibit excellent in vitro antibacterial activity, with LLysSA9 exceeding that of the best-in-class alternative. The efficacy of LLysSA9 is further demonstrated in mouse bloodstream and wound infection models. Therefore, this study demonstrates the potential of integrating computational and experimental approaches to expedite the discovery of new antibacterial proteins for combating increasing antimicrobial resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Key Laboratory of Environment Correlative Dietology, College of Biomedicine and Health, Shenzhen Institute of Nutrition and Health, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Runze Li
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Key Laboratory of Environment Correlative Dietology, College of Biomedicine and Health, Shenzhen Institute of Nutrition and Health, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Geng Zou
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Key Laboratory of Environment Correlative Dietology, College of Biomedicine and Health, Shenzhen Institute of Nutrition and Health, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Yating Guo
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Key Laboratory of Environment Correlative Dietology, College of Biomedicine and Health, Shenzhen Institute of Nutrition and Health, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Renwei Wu
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Key Laboratory of Environment Correlative Dietology, College of Biomedicine and Health, Shenzhen Institute of Nutrition and Health, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Yang Zhou
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Key Laboratory of Environment Correlative Dietology, College of Biomedicine and Health, Shenzhen Institute of Nutrition and Health, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Huanchun Chen
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Key Laboratory of Environment Correlative Dietology, College of Biomedicine and Health, Shenzhen Institute of Nutrition and Health, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Rui Zhou
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Key Laboratory of Environment Correlative Dietology, College of Biomedicine and Health, Shenzhen Institute of Nutrition and Health, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Rob Lavigne
- Department of Biosystems, Laboratory of Gene Technology, KU Leuven, Leuven, 3001, Belgium
| | - Phillip J Bergen
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, 3800, Australia
| | - Jian Li
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, 3800, Australia
| | - Jinquan Li
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Key Laboratory of Environment Correlative Dietology, College of Biomedicine and Health, Shenzhen Institute of Nutrition and Health, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, 518000, China
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Verma NK, Tan SJ, Chen J, Chen H, Ismail MH, Rice SA, Bifani P, Hariharan S, Paul VD, Sriram B, Dam LC, Chan CC, Ho P, Goh BC, Chung SJ, Goh KCM, Thong SH, Kwa ALH, Ostrowski A, Aung TT, Razali H, Low SW, Bhattacharyya MS, Gautam HK, Lakshminarayanan R, Sicheritz-Pontén T, Clokie MR, Moreira W, van Steensel MAM. inPhocus: Current State and Challenges of Phage Research in Singapore. PHAGE (NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y.) 2022; 3:6-11. [PMID: 36161195 PMCID: PMC9436264 DOI: 10.1089/phage.2022.29028.nkv] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Bacteriophages and phage-derived proteins are a promising class of antibacterial agents that experience a growing worldwide interest. To map ongoing phage research in Singapore and neighboring countries, Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University Singapore (NTU) and Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS) recently co-organized a virtual symposium on Bacteriophage and Bacteriophage-Derived Technologies, which was attended by more than 80 participants. Topics were discussed relating to phage life cycles, diversity, the roles of phages in biofilms and the human gut microbiome, engineered phage lysins to combat polymicrobial infections in wounds, and the challenges and prospects of clinical phage therapy. This perspective summarizes major points discussed during the symposium and new perceptions that emerged after the panel discussion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Navin Kumar Verma
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University Singapore, Singapore.,Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore.,Address correspondence to: Navin Kumar Verma, PhD, Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University Singapore, Singapore 308232, Singapore
| | - Si Jia Tan
- Institute for Health Technologies, Nanyang Technological University Singapore, Singapore
| | - John Chen
- Infectious Diseases Translational Research Programme, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Hanrong Chen
- Computational and Systems Biology, Genome Institute of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Muhammad Hafiz Ismail
- Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering, Microbial Biofilms Cluster, Nanyang Technological University Singapore, Singapore
| | - Scott A. Rice
- Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering, Microbial Biofilms Cluster, Nanyang Technological University Singapore, Singapore.,Microbiomes for One Systems Health and Agriculture and Food, Westmead NSW, CSIRO, Australia
| | - Pablo Bifani
- Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, A*STAR Infectious Diseases Labs, Singapore and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Bharathi Sriram
- Antimicrobial Resistance Interdisciplinary Research Group, Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology Centre, Singapore
| | - Linh Chi Dam
- Antimicrobial Resistance Interdisciplinary Research Group, Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology Centre, Singapore
| | - Chia Ching Chan
- Antimicrobial Resistance Interdisciplinary Research Group, Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology Centre, Singapore
| | - Peiying Ho
- Antimicrobial Resistance Interdisciplinary Research Group, Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology Centre, Singapore
| | - Boon Chong Goh
- Antimicrobial Resistance Interdisciplinary Research Group, Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology Centre, Singapore
| | - Shimin Jasmine Chung
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore.,Singhealth Duke-NUS Medicine Academic Clinical Programme, Singapore
| | | | - Shu Hua Thong
- Department of Pharmacy, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore
| | - Andrea Lay-Hoon Kwa
- Singhealth Duke-NUS Medicine Academic Clinical Programme, Singapore.,Department of Pharmacy, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore.,Emerging Infectious Diseases, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore
| | | | - Thet Tun Aung
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Immunology Translational Research Program and Centre for Life Science, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Halimah Razali
- Asian School of the Environment, Nanyang Technological University Singapore, Singapore
| | - Shermaine W.Y. Low
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University Singapore, Singapore
| | | | - Hemant K. Gautam
- CSIR—Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, New Delhi, India
| | | | - Thomas Sicheritz-Pontén
- Center for Evolutionary Hologenomics, The GLOBE Institute, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Martha R.J. Clokie
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
| | - Wilfried Moreira
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Immunology Translational Research Program and Centre for Life Science, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore.,Address correspondence to: Wilfried Moreira, PhD, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Immunology Translational Research Program and Centre for Life Science, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117597, Singapore
| | - Maurice Adrianus Monique van Steensel
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University Singapore, Singapore.,Address correspondence to: Maurice Adrianus Monique van Steensel, PhD, Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University Singapore, Singapore 308232, Singapore
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Danis-Wlodarczyk KM, Wozniak DJ, Abedon ST. Treating Bacterial Infections with Bacteriophage-Based Enzybiotics: In Vitro, In Vivo and Clinical Application. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 10:1497. [PMID: 34943709 PMCID: PMC8698926 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10121497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2021] [Revised: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the past few decades, we have witnessed a surge around the world in the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. This global health threat arose mainly due to the overuse and misuse of antibiotics as well as a relative lack of new drug classes in development pipelines. Innovative antibacterial therapeutics and strategies are, therefore, in grave need. For the last twenty years, antimicrobial enzymes encoded by bacteriophages, viruses that can lyse and kill bacteria, have gained tremendous interest. There are two classes of these phage-derived enzymes, referred to also as enzybiotics: peptidoglycan hydrolases (lysins), which degrade the bacterial peptidoglycan layer, and polysaccharide depolymerases, which target extracellular or surface polysaccharides, i.e., bacterial capsules, slime layers, biofilm matrix, or lipopolysaccharides. Their features include distinctive modes of action, high efficiency, pathogen specificity, diversity in structure and activity, low possibility of bacterial resistance development, and no observed cross-resistance with currently used antibiotics. Additionally, and unlike antibiotics, enzybiotics can target metabolically inactive persister cells. These phage-derived enzymes have been tested in various animal models to combat both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, and in recent years peptidoglycan hydrolases have entered clinical trials. Here, we review the testing and clinical use of these enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Daniel J. Wozniak
- Department of Microbial Infection and Immunity, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA;
- Department of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA;
| | - Stephen T. Abedon
- Department of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA;
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Kranjec C, Morales Angeles D, Torrissen Mårli M, Fernández L, García P, Kjos M, Diep DB. Staphylococcal Biofilms: Challenges and Novel Therapeutic Perspectives. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 10:131. [PMID: 33573022 PMCID: PMC7911828 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10020131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Revised: 01/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Staphylococci, like Staphylococcus aureus and S. epidermidis, are common colonizers of the human microbiota. While being harmless in many cases, many virulence factors result in them being opportunistic pathogens and one of the major causes of hospital-acquired infections worldwide. One of these virulence factors is the ability to form biofilms-three-dimensional communities of microorganisms embedded in an extracellular polymeric matrix (EPS). The EPS is composed of polysaccharides, proteins and extracellular DNA, and is finely regulated in response to environmental conditions. This structured environment protects the embedded bacteria from the human immune system and decreases their susceptibility to antimicrobials, making infections caused by staphylococci particularly difficult to treat. With the rise of antibiotic-resistant staphylococci, together with difficulty in removing biofilms, there is a great need for new treatment strategies. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of our current knowledge of the stages of biofilm development and what difficulties may arise when trying to eradicate staphylococcal biofilms. Furthermore, we look into promising targets and therapeutic methods, including bacteriocins and phage-derived antibiofilm approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Kranjec
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, The Norwegian University of Life Sciences, 1432 Ås, Norway; (C.K.); (D.M.A.); (M.T.M.)
| | - Danae Morales Angeles
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, The Norwegian University of Life Sciences, 1432 Ås, Norway; (C.K.); (D.M.A.); (M.T.M.)
| | - Marita Torrissen Mårli
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, The Norwegian University of Life Sciences, 1432 Ås, Norway; (C.K.); (D.M.A.); (M.T.M.)
| | - Lucía Fernández
- Department of Technology and Biotechnology of Dairy Products, Dairy Research Institute of Asturias (IPLA-CSIC), 33300 Villaviciosa, Spain; (L.F.); (P.G.)
- DairySafe Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), 33011 Oviedo, Spain
| | - Pilar García
- Department of Technology and Biotechnology of Dairy Products, Dairy Research Institute of Asturias (IPLA-CSIC), 33300 Villaviciosa, Spain; (L.F.); (P.G.)
- DairySafe Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), 33011 Oviedo, Spain
| | - Morten Kjos
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, The Norwegian University of Life Sciences, 1432 Ås, Norway; (C.K.); (D.M.A.); (M.T.M.)
| | - Dzung B. Diep
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, The Norwegian University of Life Sciences, 1432 Ås, Norway; (C.K.); (D.M.A.); (M.T.M.)
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Kamble E, Pardesi K. Antibiotic Tolerance in Biofilm and Stationary-Phase Planktonic Cells of Staphylococcus aureus. Microb Drug Resist 2021; 27:3-12. [DOI: 10.1089/mdr.2019.0425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ekta Kamble
- Department of Microbiology, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, India
| | - Karishma Pardesi
- Department of Microbiology, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, India
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Schmelcher M, Loessner MJ. Bacteriophage endolysins - extending their application to tissues and the bloodstream. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2020; 68:51-59. [PMID: 33126104 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2020.09.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2020] [Revised: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The rapid emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and the lack of novel antibacterial agents pose a serious threat for patients and healthcare systems. Bacteriophage-encoded peptidoglycan hydrolases (endolysins) represent a promising new class of antimicrobials. Over the past two decades, research on these enzymes has evolved from basic in vitro characterization to sophisticated protein engineering approaches, including advanced preclinical and clinical testing. In recent years, increasingly specific animal models have shown efficacy of endolysins against bacterial infections of various different organs and tissues of the body. Despite these advances, some challenges with regard to systemic application of endolysins remain to be addressed. These include immunogenicity, circulation half-life, and cell and tissue-specific targeting and penetration properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathias Schmelcher
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Martin J Loessner
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Lysin LysMK34 of Acinetobacter baumannii Bacteriophage PMK34 Has a Turgor Pressure-Dependent Intrinsic Antibacterial Activity and Reverts Colistin Resistance. Appl Environ Microbiol 2020; 86:AEM.01311-20. [PMID: 32709718 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01311-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 07/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The prevalence of extensively and pandrug-resistant strains of Acinetobacter baumannii leaves little or no therapeutic options for treatment for this bacterial pathogen. Bacteriophages and their lysins represent attractive alternative antibacterial strategies in this regard. We used the extensively drug-resistant A. baumannii strain MK34 to isolate the bacteriophage PMK34 (vB_AbaP_PMK34). This phage shows fast adsorption and lacks virulence genes; nonetheless, its narrow host spectrum based on capsule recognition limits broad application. PMK34 is a Fri1virus member of the Autographiviridae and has a 41.8-kb genome (50 open reading frames), encoding an endolysin (LysMK34) with potent muralytic activity (1,499.9 ± 131 U/μM), a typical mesophilic thermal stability up to 55°C, and a broad pH activity range (4 to 10). LysMK34 has an intrinsic antibacterial activity up to 4.8 and 2.4 log units for A. baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains, respectively, but only when a high turgor pressure is present. The addition of 0.5 mM EDTA or application of an osmotic shock after treatment can compensate for the lack of a high turgor pressure. The combination of LysMK34 and colistin results in up to 32-fold reduction of the MIC of colistin, and colistin-resistant strains are resensitized in both Mueller-Hinton broth and 50% human serum. As such, LysMK34 may be used to safeguard the applicability of colistin as a last-resort antibiotic.IMPORTANCE A. baumannii is one of the most challenging pathogens for which development of new and effective antimicrobials is urgently needed. Colistin is a last-resort antibiotic, and even colistin-resistant A. baumannii strains exist. Here, we present a lysin that sensitizes A. baumannii for colistin and can revert colistin resistance to colistin susceptibility. The lysin also shows a strong, turgor pressure-dependent intrinsic antibacterial activity, providing new insights in the mode of action of lysins with intrinsic activity against Gram-negative bacteria.
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Characterization of Clinical MRSA Isolates from Northern Spain and Assessment of Their Susceptibility to Phage-Derived Antimicrobials. Antibiotics (Basel) 2020; 9:antibiotics9080447. [PMID: 32722499 PMCID: PMC7460284 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics9080447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Revised: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a prevalent nosocomial pathogen, causing a wide range of diseases. The increased frequency of MRSA isolates in hospitals and the emergence of vancomycin resistance have sparked the search for new control strategies. This study aimed to characterize sixty-seven MRSA isolates collected from both infected patients and asymptomatic carriers in a Spanish hospital. RAPD-PCR allowed the identification of six genetic patterns. We also investigated the presence of genes involved in producing adhesins, toxins and the capsule; the biofilm; and antimicrobial resistance. A notable percentage of the isolates carried virulence genes and showed medium-high ability to form biofilms. Next, we assessed the strains' susceptibility to two phages (phiIPLA-C1C and phiIPLA-RODI) and one endolysin (LysRODI). All strains were resistant to phiIPLA-C1C, and most (70.2%) were susceptible to phiIPLA-RODI. Regarding LysRODI, all strains displayed susceptibility, although to varying degrees. There was a correlation between endolysin susceptibility and the random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD) profile or the presence of some virulence genes (fnbA, eta, etb, PVL and czr), but that was not observed with biofilm-forming ability, strain origin or phage sensitivity. Taken together, these findings can help to explain the factors influencing endolysin effectiveness, which will contribute to the development of efficient therapies targeting MRSA infections.
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Channabasappa S, Chikkamadaiah R, Durgaiah M, Kumar S, Ramesh K, Sreekanthan A, Sriram B. Efficacy of chimeric ectolysin P128 in drug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia in mice. J Antimicrob Chemother 2019; 73:3398-3404. [PMID: 30215762 DOI: 10.1093/jac/dky365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2018] [Accepted: 08/15/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Objectives P128 is a recombinant chimeric ectolysin with potent antistaphylococcal activity. P128 was evaluated as monotherapy and in combination with two standard-of-care (SoC) antibiotics, vancomycin and daptomycin, in mouse models of Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia. Methods Healthy BALB/c mice were challenged (intraperitoneally) with 109 cfu of MRSA strain COL or USA300 and treated with a single dose of P128 (0.2-10 mg/kg). Drug synergy was tested using a single dose of P128 (0.2 or 2.5 mg/kg) along with sub-therapeutic dose levels of vancomycin (27.5 or 55 mg/kg) or daptomycin (12.5 mg/kg). Bacterial load was checked in peritoneal fluid and in blood, at different time intervals. Synergy against drug-resistant strains was tested using the P128/vancomycin combination against vancomycin-resistant S. aureus (VRSA). Results In MRSA bacteraemia, P128, vancomycin and daptomycin monotherapy resulted in 31%, 46% and 46% survival, respectively. The P128/vancomycin and P128/daptomycin combinations afforded increased survival of 85% and 88%, respectively. P128 showed a rapid bactericidal effect with a reduction of cfu in both the peritoneal fluid and the blood within 1 h. In VRSA bacteraemia, a mouse-equivalent therapeutic dose of vancomycin (110 mg/kg) failed to rescue animals. P128 (1-20 mg/kg) as monotherapy resulted in dose-dependent efficacy. Survival (37%) with 2.5 mg/kg P128 increased to 63% with the P128/vancomycin combination. Conclusions P128 exerted a rapid bactericidal effect in vivo and rescued animals from fatal invasive MRSA and VRSA infections. P128/SoC antibiotic combinations exerted a synergistic effect. P128 restored the susceptibility of VRSA to vancomycin. P128 is a novel, potent therapeutic agent for antibiotic-resistant, systemic S. aureus infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shankaramurthy Channabasappa
- GangaGen Biotechnologies Pvt Ltd, No. 12, 5th Cross, Raghavendra Layout, Tumkur Road, Yeshwantpur, Bangalore, India
| | - Ravisha Chikkamadaiah
- GangaGen Biotechnologies Pvt Ltd, No. 12, 5th Cross, Raghavendra Layout, Tumkur Road, Yeshwantpur, Bangalore, India
| | - Murali Durgaiah
- GangaGen Biotechnologies Pvt Ltd, No. 12, 5th Cross, Raghavendra Layout, Tumkur Road, Yeshwantpur, Bangalore, India
| | - Senthil Kumar
- GangaGen Biotechnologies Pvt Ltd, No. 12, 5th Cross, Raghavendra Layout, Tumkur Road, Yeshwantpur, Bangalore, India
| | - Keerthi Ramesh
- GangaGen Biotechnologies Pvt Ltd, No. 12, 5th Cross, Raghavendra Layout, Tumkur Road, Yeshwantpur, Bangalore, India
| | - Aparna Sreekanthan
- GangaGen Biotechnologies Pvt Ltd, No. 12, 5th Cross, Raghavendra Layout, Tumkur Road, Yeshwantpur, Bangalore, India
| | - Bharathi Sriram
- GangaGen Biotechnologies Pvt Ltd, No. 12, 5th Cross, Raghavendra Layout, Tumkur Road, Yeshwantpur, Bangalore, India
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Vázquez R, García E, García P. Phage Lysins for Fighting Bacterial Respiratory Infections: A New Generation of Antimicrobials. Front Immunol 2018; 9:2252. [PMID: 30459750 PMCID: PMC6232686 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.02252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2018] [Accepted: 09/11/2018] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Lower respiratory tract infections and tuberculosis are responsible for the death of about 4.5 million people each year and are the main causes of mortality in children under 5 years of age. Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most common bacterial pathogen associated with severe pneumonia, although other Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria are involved in respiratory infections as well. The ability of these pathogens to persist and produce infection under the appropriate conditions is also associated with their capacity to form biofilms in the respiratory mucous membranes. Adding to the difficulty of treating biofilm-forming bacteria with antibiotics, many of these strains are becoming multidrug resistant, and thus the alternative therapeutics available for combating this kind of infections are rapidly depleting. Given these concerns, it is urgent to consider other unconventional strategies and, in this regard, phage lysins represent an attractive resource to circumvent some of the current issues in infection treatment. When added exogenously, lysins break specific bonds of the peptidoglycan and have potent bactericidal effects against susceptible bacteria. These enzymes possess interesting features, including that they do not trigger an adverse immune response and raise of resistance is very unlikely. Although Gram-negative bacteria had been considered refractory to these compounds, strategies to overcome this drawback have been developed recently. In this review we describe the most relevant in vitro and in vivo results obtained to date with lysins against bacterial respiratory pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Vázquez
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), Madrid, Spain
| | - Ernesto García
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), Madrid, Spain
| | - Pedro García
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), Madrid, Spain
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Xu J, Yang H, Bi Y, Li W, Wei H, Li Y. Activity of the Chimeric Lysin ClyR against Common Gram-Positive Oral Microbes and Its Anticaries Efficacy in Rat Models. Viruses 2018; 10:v10070380. [PMID: 30036941 PMCID: PMC6070986 DOI: 10.3390/v10070380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2018] [Revised: 07/14/2018] [Accepted: 07/17/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Dental caries is a common disease caused by oral bacteria. Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus are the primary cariogenic microbes that often survive as biofilms on teeth. In this study, we evaluated the activity of ClyR, a well-known chimeric lysin with extended streptococcal host range, against common Gram-positive oral microbes and its anticaries efficacy in rat models. ClyR demonstrated high lytic activity against S. mutans MT8148 and S. sobrinus ATCC6715, with minor activity against Streptococcus sanguinis, Streptococcus oralis, and Streptococcus salivarius, which are considered as harmless commensal oral bacteria. Confocal laser scanning microscopy showed that the number of viable cells in 72-h aged S. mutans and S. sobrinus biofilms are significantly (p < 0.05) decreased after treatment with 50 µg/mL ClyR for 5 min. Furthermore, continuous administration of ClyR for 40 days (5 µg/day) significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the severity of caries in rat models infected with a single or a mixed bacteria of S. mutans and S. sobrinus. Therefore, ClyR could be a promising agent or additive for the prevention and treatment of dental caries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Xu
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-MOST) & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine, Ministry of Education, School of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, China.
| | - Hang Yang
- Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China.
| | - Yongli Bi
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-MOST) & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine, Ministry of Education, School of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, China.
| | - Wuyou Li
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-MOST) & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine, Ministry of Education, School of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, China.
| | - Hongping Wei
- Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China.
| | - Yuhong Li
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-MOST) & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine, Ministry of Education, School of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, China.
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