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Zhang Y, Shao Y, You H, Shen Y, Miao F, Yuan C, Chen X, Zhai M, Shen Y, Zhang J. Characterization and therapeutic potential of MRABP9, a novel lytic bacteriophage infecting multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii clinical strains. Virology 2024; 595:110098. [PMID: 38705084 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2024.110098] [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: 01/21/2024] [Revised: 04/13/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
Acinetobacter baumannii is one of the most important pathogens of healthcare-associated infections. The rising prevalence of multidrug-resistant A. baumannii (MRAB) strains and biofilm formation impact the outcome of conventional treatment. Phage-related therapy is a promising strategy to tame troublesome multidrug-resistant bacteria. Here, we isolated and evaluated a highly efficient lytic phage called MRABP9 from hospital sewage. The phage was a novel species within the genus Friunavirus and exhibited lytic activity against 2 other identified MRAB strains. Genomic analysis revealed it was a safe virulent phage and a pectate lyase domain was identified within its tail spike protein. MRABP9 showed potent bactericidal and anti-biofilm activity against MRAB, significantly delaying the time point of bacterial regrowth in vitro. Phage administration could rescue the mice from acute lethal MRAB infection. Considering its features, MRABP9 has the potential as an efficient candidate for prophylactic and therapeutic use against acute infections caused by MRAB strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Zhang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China; Department of Critical Care Medicine, Zhongda Hospital, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Critical Care Medicine, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China.
| | - Yong Shao
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, Ministry of Education, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210018, China
| | - Hongyang You
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, Ministry of Education, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210018, China
| | - Yuqing Shen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China; Department of Critical Care Medicine, Zhongda Hospital, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Critical Care Medicine, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Fengqin Miao
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Chenyan Yuan
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Xin Chen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Mengyan Zhai
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Yi Shen
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, Ministry of Education, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210018, China
| | - Jianqiong Zhang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China; Department of Critical Care Medicine, Zhongda Hospital, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Critical Care Medicine, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China; Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, Ministry of Education, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210018, China
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2
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Bozidis P, Markou E, Gouni A, Gartzonika K. Does Phage Therapy Need a Pan-Phage? Pathogens 2024; 13:522. [PMID: 38921819 PMCID: PMC11206709 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13060522] [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: 05/16/2024] [Revised: 06/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria is undoubtedly one of the most serious global health threats. One response to this threat that has been gaining momentum over the past decade is 'phage therapy'. According to this, lytic bacteriophages are used for the treatment of bacterial infections, either alone or in combination with antimicrobial agents. However, to ensure the efficacy and broad applicability of phage therapy, several challenges must be overcome. These challenges encompass the development of methods and strategies for the host range manipulation and bypass of the resistance mechanisms developed by pathogenic bacteria, as has been the case since the advent of antibiotics. As our knowledge and understanding of the interactions between phages and their hosts evolves, the key issue is to define the host range for each application. In this article, we discuss the factors that affect host range and how this determines the classification of phages into different categories of action. For each host range group, recent representative examples are provided, together with suggestions on how the different groups can be used to combat certain types of bacterial infections. The available methodologies for host range expansion, either through sequential adaptation to a new pathogen or through genetic engineering techniques, are also reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petros Bozidis
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece;
- Department of Microbiology, University Hospital of Ioannina, 45500 Ioannina, Greece; (E.M.); (A.G.)
| | - Eleftheria Markou
- Department of Microbiology, University Hospital of Ioannina, 45500 Ioannina, Greece; (E.M.); (A.G.)
| | - Athanasia Gouni
- Department of Microbiology, University Hospital of Ioannina, 45500 Ioannina, Greece; (E.M.); (A.G.)
| | - Konstantina Gartzonika
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece;
- Department of Microbiology, University Hospital of Ioannina, 45500 Ioannina, Greece; (E.M.); (A.G.)
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3
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Boeckaerts D, Stock M, Ferriol-González C, Oteo-Iglesias J, Sanjuán R, Domingo-Calap P, De Baets B, Briers Y. Prediction of Klebsiella phage-host specificity at the strain level. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4355. [PMID: 38778023 PMCID: PMC11111740 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48675-6] [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: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Phages are increasingly considered promising alternatives to target drug-resistant bacterial pathogens. However, their often-narrow host range can make it challenging to find matching phages against bacteria of interest. Current computational tools do not accurately predict interactions at the strain level in a way that is relevant and properly evaluated for practical use. We present PhageHostLearn, a machine learning system that predicts strain-level interactions between receptor-binding proteins and bacterial receptors for Klebsiella phage-bacteria pairs. We evaluate this system both in silico and in the laboratory, in the clinically relevant setting of finding matching phages against bacterial strains. PhageHostLearn reaches a cross-validated ROC AUC of up to 81.8% in silico and maintains this performance in laboratory validation. Our approach provides a framework for developing and evaluating phage-host prediction methods that are useful in practice, which we believe to be a meaningful contribution to the machine-learning-guided development of phage therapeutics and diagnostics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitri Boeckaerts
- Laboratory of Applied Biotechnology, Department of Biotechnology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- KERMIT, Department of Data Analysis and Mathematical Modelling, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Michiel Stock
- KERMIT, Department of Data Analysis and Mathematical Modelling, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Celia Ferriol-González
- Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (I2SysBio), Universitat de Valencia-CSIC, Paterna, Spain
| | - Jesús Oteo-Iglesias
- Laboratorio de Referencia e Investigación en Resistencia a Antibióticos e Infecciones Relacionadas con la Asistencia Sanitaria, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rafael Sanjuán
- Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (I2SysBio), Universitat de Valencia-CSIC, Paterna, Spain
| | - Pilar Domingo-Calap
- Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (I2SysBio), Universitat de Valencia-CSIC, Paterna, Spain
| | - Bernard De Baets
- KERMIT, Department of Data Analysis and Mathematical Modelling, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Yves Briers
- Laboratory of Applied Biotechnology, Department of Biotechnology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
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4
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Evseev PV, Sukhova AS, Tkachenko NA, Skryabin YP, Popova AV. Lytic Capsule-Specific Acinetobacter Bacteriophages Encoding Polysaccharide-Degrading Enzymes. Viruses 2024; 16:771. [PMID: 38793652 PMCID: PMC11126041 DOI: 10.3390/v16050771] [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: 04/22/2024] [Revised: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
The genus Acinetobacter comprises both environmental and clinically relevant species associated with hospital-acquired infections. Among them, Acinetobacter baumannii is a critical priority bacterial pathogen, for which the research and development of new strategies for antimicrobial treatment are urgently needed. Acinetobacter spp. produce a variety of structurally diverse capsular polysaccharides (CPSs), which surround the bacterial cells with a thick protective layer. These surface structures are primary receptors for capsule-specific bacteriophages, that is, phages carrying tailspikes with CPS-depolymerizing/modifying activities. Phage tailspike proteins (TSPs) exhibit hydrolase, lyase, or esterase activities toward the corresponding CPSs of a certain structure. In this study, the data on all lytic capsule-specific phages infecting Acinetobacter spp. with genomes deposited in the NCBI GenBank database by January 2024 were summarized. Among the 149 identified TSPs encoded in the genomes of 143 phages, the capsular specificity (K specificity) of 46 proteins has been experimentally determined or predicted previously. The specificity of 63 TSPs toward CPSs, produced by various Acinetobacter K types, was predicted in this study using a bioinformatic analysis. A comprehensive phylogenetic analysis confirmed the prediction and revealed the possibility of the genetic exchange of gene regions corresponding to the CPS-recognizing/degrading parts of different TSPs between morphologically and taxonomically distant groups of capsule-specific Acinetobacter phages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter V. Evseev
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia;
- State Research Center for Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, City District Serpukhov, Moscow Region, 142279 Obolensk, Russia; (A.S.S.); (Y.P.S.)
- Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Anastasia S. Sukhova
- State Research Center for Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, City District Serpukhov, Moscow Region, 142279 Obolensk, Russia; (A.S.S.); (Y.P.S.)
| | - Nikolay A. Tkachenko
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia;
| | - Yuriy P. Skryabin
- State Research Center for Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, City District Serpukhov, Moscow Region, 142279 Obolensk, Russia; (A.S.S.); (Y.P.S.)
| | - Anastasia V. Popova
- State Research Center for Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, City District Serpukhov, Moscow Region, 142279 Obolensk, Russia; (A.S.S.); (Y.P.S.)
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5
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Peters DL, Gaudreault F, Chen W. Functional domains of Acinetobacter bacteriophage tail fibers. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1230997. [PMID: 38690360 PMCID: PMC11058221 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1230997] [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: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
A rapid increase in antimicrobial resistant bacterial infections around the world is causing a global health crisis. The Gram-negative bacterium Acinetobacter baumannii is categorized as a Priority 1 pathogen for research and development of new antimicrobials by the World Health Organization due to its numerous intrinsic antibiotic resistance mechanisms and ability to quickly acquire new resistance determinants. Specialized phage enzymes, called depolymerases, degrade the bacterial capsule polysaccharide layer and show therapeutic potential by sensitizing the bacterium to phages, select antibiotics, and serum killing. The functional domains responsible for the capsule degradation activity are often found in the tail fibers of select A. baumannii phages. To further explore the functional domains associated with depolymerase activity, tail-associated proteins of 71 sequenced and fully characterized phages were identified from published literature and analyzed for functional domains using InterProScan. Multisequence alignments and phylogenetic analyses were conducted on the domain groups and assessed in the context of noted halo formation or depolymerase characterization. Proteins derived from phages noted to have halo formation or a functional depolymerase, but no functional domain hits, were modeled with AlphaFold2 Multimer, and compared to other protein models using the DALI server. The domains associated with depolymerase function were pectin lyase-like (SSF51126), tailspike binding (cd20481), (Trans)glycosidases (SSF51445), and potentially SGNH hydrolases. These findings expand our knowledge on phage depolymerases, enabling researchers to better exploit these enzymes for therapeutic use in combating the antimicrobial resistance crisis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle L. Peters
- Human Health Therapeutics (HHT) Research Center, National Research Council Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | | | - Wangxue Chen
- Human Health Therapeutics (HHT) Research Center, National Research Council Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Biology, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON, Canada
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6
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Evseev PV, Shneider MM, Kolupaeva LV, Kasimova AA, Timoshina OY, Perepelov AV, Shpirt AM, Shelenkov AA, Mikhailova YV, Suzina NE, Knirel YA, Miroshnikov KA, Popova AV. New Obolenskvirus Phages Brutus and Scipio: Biology, Evolution, and Phage-Host Interaction. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2074. [PMID: 38396752 PMCID: PMC10888812 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25042074] [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: 12/29/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Two novel virulent phages of the genus Obolenskvirus infecting Acinetobacter baumannii, a significant nosocomial pathogen, have been isolated and studied. Phages Brutus and Scipio were able to infect A. baumannii strains belonging to the K116 and K82 capsular types, respectively. The biological properties and genomic organization of the phages were characterized. Comparative genomic, phylogenetic, and pangenomic analyses were performed to investigate the relationship of Brutus and Scipio to other bacterial viruses and to trace the possible origin and evolutionary history of these phages and other representatives of the genus Obolenskvirus. The investigation of enzymatic activity of the tailspike depolymerase encoded in the genome of phage Scipio, the first reported virus infecting A. baumannii of the K82 capsular type, was performed. The study of new representatives of the genus Obolenskvirus and mechanisms of action of depolymerases encoded in their genomes expands knowledge about the diversity of viruses within this taxonomic group and strategies of Obolenskvirus-host bacteria interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter V. Evseev
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (M.M.S.); (O.Y.T.); (K.A.M.)
- State Research Center for Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, City District Serpukhov, Moscow Region, 142279 Obolensk, Russia; (L.V.K.); (A.A.K.)
- Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Mikhail M. Shneider
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (M.M.S.); (O.Y.T.); (K.A.M.)
| | - Lyubov V. Kolupaeva
- State Research Center for Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, City District Serpukhov, Moscow Region, 142279 Obolensk, Russia; (L.V.K.); (A.A.K.)
| | - Anastasia A. Kasimova
- State Research Center for Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, City District Serpukhov, Moscow Region, 142279 Obolensk, Russia; (L.V.K.); (A.A.K.)
- N. D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia; (A.V.P.); (A.M.S.); (Y.A.K.)
| | - Olga Y. Timoshina
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (M.M.S.); (O.Y.T.); (K.A.M.)
| | - Andrey V. Perepelov
- N. D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia; (A.V.P.); (A.M.S.); (Y.A.K.)
| | - Anna M. Shpirt
- N. D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia; (A.V.P.); (A.M.S.); (Y.A.K.)
| | - Andrey A. Shelenkov
- Central Scientific Research Institute of Epidemiology, 111123 Moscow, Russia (Y.V.M.)
| | - Yulia V. Mikhailova
- Central Scientific Research Institute of Epidemiology, 111123 Moscow, Russia (Y.V.M.)
| | - Natalia E. Suzina
- Skryabin Institute of Biochemistry and Physiology of Microorganisms, Federal Research Center “Pushchino Center for Biological Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences”, Moscow Region, 142290 Pushchino, Russia;
| | - Yuriy A. Knirel
- N. D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia; (A.V.P.); (A.M.S.); (Y.A.K.)
| | - Konstantin A. Miroshnikov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (M.M.S.); (O.Y.T.); (K.A.M.)
| | - Anastasia V. Popova
- State Research Center for Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, City District Serpukhov, Moscow Region, 142279 Obolensk, Russia; (L.V.K.); (A.A.K.)
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7
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Vacheron J, Heiman CM, Garneau JR, Kupferschmied P, de Jonge R, Garrido-Sanz D, Keel C. Molecular and evolutionary basis of O-antigenic polysaccharide-driven phage sensitivity in environmental pseudomonads. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0204923. [PMID: 37800913 PMCID: PMC10715155 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02049-23] [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: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE The application of plant-beneficial microorganisms to protect crop plants is a promising alternative to the usage of chemicals. However, biocontrol research often faces difficulties in implementing this approach due to the inconsistency of the bacterial inoculant to establish itself within the root microbiome. Beneficial bacterial inoculants can be decimated by the presence of their natural predators, notably bacteriophages (also called phages). Thus, it is important to gain knowledge regarding the mechanisms behind phage-bacteria interactions to overcome this challenge. Here, we evidence that the major long O-antigenic polysaccharide (O-PS, O-antigen) of the widely used model plant-beneficial bacterium Pseudomonas protegens CHA0 is the receptor of its natural predator, the phage ΦGP100. We examined the distribution of the gene cluster directing the synthesis of this O-PS and identified signatures of horizontal gene acquisitions. Altogether, our study highlights the importance of bacterial cell surface structure variation in the complex interplay between phages and their Pseudomonas hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan Vacheron
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Clara M. Heiman
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Julian R. Garneau
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Peter Kupferschmied
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Ronnie de Jonge
- Plant-Microbe Interactions, Department of Biology, Science4Life, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Daniel Garrido-Sanz
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Christoph Keel
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
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8
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da Silva JD, Melo LDR, Santos SB, Kropinski AM, Xisto MF, Dias RS, da Silva Paes I, Vieira MS, Soares JJF, Porcellato D, da Silva Duarte V, de Paula SO. Genomic and proteomic characterization of vB_SauM-UFV_DC4, a novel Staphylococcus jumbo phage. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2023; 107:7231-7250. [PMID: 37741937 PMCID: PMC10638138 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-023-12743-6] [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: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/25/2023]
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most relevant mastitis pathogens in dairy cattle, and the acquisition of antimicrobial resistance genes presents a significant health issue in both veterinary and human fields. Among the different strategies to tackle S. aureus infection in livestock, bacteriophages have been thoroughly investigated in the last decades; however, few specimens of the so-called jumbo phages capable of infecting S. aureus have been described. Herein, we report the biological, genomic, and structural proteomic features of the jumbo phage vB_SauM-UFV_DC4 (DC4). DC4 exhibited a remarkable killing activity against S. aureus isolated from the veterinary environment and stability at alkaline conditions (pH 4 to 12). The complete genome of DC4 is 263,185 bp (GC content: 25%), encodes 263 predicted CDSs (80% without an assigned function), 1 tRNA (Phe-tRNA), multisubunit RNA polymerase, and an RNA-dependent DNA polymerase. Moreover, comparative analysis revealed that DC4 can be considered a new viral species belonging to a new genus DC4 and showed a similar set of lytic proteins and depolymerase activity with closely related jumbo phages. The characterization of a new S. aureus jumbo phage increases our understanding of the diversity of this group and provides insights into the biotechnological potential of these viruses. KEY POINTS: • vB_SauM-UFV_DC4 is a new viral species belonging to a new genus within the class Caudoviricetes. • vB_SauM-UFV_DC4 carries a set of RNA polymerase subunits and an RNA-directed DNA polymerase. • vB_SauM-UFV_DC4 and closely related jumbo phages showed a similar set of lytic proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jéssica Duarte da Silva
- Department of Microbiology, Federal University of Viçosa, Av. Peter Henry Rolfs, S/N, Campus Universitário, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, 36570-900, Brazil
| | - Luís D R Melo
- Centre of Biological Engineering - CEB, University of Minho, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal
- LABBELS - Associate Laboratory, Braga, Portugal
| | - Sílvio B Santos
- Centre of Biological Engineering - CEB, University of Minho, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal
- LABBELS - Associate Laboratory, Braga, Portugal
| | - Andrew M Kropinski
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Mariana Fonseca Xisto
- Department of General Biology, Federal University of Viçosa, Av. Peter Henry Rolfs, S/N, Campus Universitário, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, 36570-900, Brazil
| | - Roberto Sousa Dias
- Department of General Biology, Federal University of Viçosa, Av. Peter Henry Rolfs, S/N, Campus Universitário, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, 36570-900, Brazil
| | - Isabela da Silva Paes
- Department of General Biology, Federal University of Viçosa, Av. Peter Henry Rolfs, S/N, Campus Universitário, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, 36570-900, Brazil
| | - Marcella Silva Vieira
- Department of General Biology, Federal University of Viçosa, Av. Peter Henry Rolfs, S/N, Campus Universitário, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, 36570-900, Brazil
| | - José Júnior Ferreira Soares
- Department of General Biology, Federal University of Viçosa, Av. Peter Henry Rolfs, S/N, Campus Universitário, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, 36570-900, Brazil
| | - Davide Porcellato
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 5003, 1432, Ås, Norway
| | - Vinícius da Silva Duarte
- Department of Microbiology, Federal University of Viçosa, Av. Peter Henry Rolfs, S/N, Campus Universitário, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, 36570-900, Brazil.
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 5003, 1432, Ås, Norway.
| | - Sérgio Oliveira de Paula
- Department of General Biology, Federal University of Viçosa, Av. Peter Henry Rolfs, S/N, Campus Universitário, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, 36570-900, Brazil
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9
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Neto S, Vieira A, Oliveira H, Espiña B. Assessing Acinetobacter baumannii virulence and treatment with a bacteriophage using zebrafish embryos. FASEB J 2023; 37:e23013. [PMID: 37289094 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202300385r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Acinetobacter baumannii is the leading bacteria causative of nosocomial infections, with high fatality rates, mostly due to their multi-resistance to antibiotics. The capsular polysaccharide (k-type) is a major virulence factor. Bacteriophages are viruses that specifically infect bacteria and have been used to control drug-resistant bacterial pathogens. In particular, A. baumannii phages can recognize specific capsules, from a diversity of >125 that exist. This high specificity demands the in vivo identification of the most virulent A. baumannii k-types that need to be targeted by phage therapy. Currently, the zebrafish embryo has particularly attained interest for in vivo infection modeling. In this study, an A. baumannii infection was successfully established, through the bath immersion of tail-injured zebrafish embryos, to study the virulence of eight capsule types (K1, K2, K9, K32, K38, K44, K45, and K67). The model revealed itself as capable of discerning the most virulent (K2, K9, K32, and K45), middle (K1, K38, and K67), and the less virulent (K44) strains. Additionally, the infection of the most virulent strains was controlled in vivo resorting to the same technique, with previously identified phages (K2, K9, K32, and K45 phages). Phage treatments were able to increase the average survival from 35.2% to up to 74.1% (K32 strain). All the phages performed equally well. Collectively, the results show the potential of the model to not only evaluate virulence of bacteria such as A. baumannii but also assess novel treatments' effectiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Neto
- International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL), Braga, Portugal
- CEB-Center of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- LABBELS-Associate Laboratory, Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Ana Vieira
- International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL), Braga, Portugal
| | - Hugo Oliveira
- CEB-Center of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- LABBELS-Associate Laboratory, Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Begoña Espiña
- International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL), Braga, Portugal
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10
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Timoshina OY, Kasimova AA, Shneider MM, Matyuta IO, Nikolaeva AY, Evseev PV, Arbatsky NP, Shashkov AS, Chizhov AO, Shelenkov AA, Mikhaylova YV, Slukin PV, Volozhantsev NV, Boyko KM, Knirel YA, Miroshnikov KA, Popova AV. Friunavirus Phage-Encoded Depolymerases Specific to Different Capsular Types of Acinetobacter baumannii. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24109100. [PMID: 37240444 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24109100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 05/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Acinetobacter baumannii is a critical priority nosocomial pathogen that produces a variety of capsular polysaccharides (CPSs), the primary receptors for specific depolymerase-carrying phages. In this study, the tailspike depolymerases (TSDs) encoded in genomes of six novel Friunaviruses, APK09, APK14, APK16, APK86, APK127v, APK128, and one previously described Friunavirus phage, APK37.1, were characterized. For all TSDs, the mechanism of specific cleavage of corresponding A. baumannii capsular polysaccharides (CPSs) was established. The structures of oligosaccharide fragments derived from K9, K14, K16, K37/K3-v1, K86, K127, and K128 CPSs degradation by the recombinant depolymerases have been determined. The crystal structures of three of the studied TSDs were obtained. A significant reduction in mortality of Galleria mellonella larvae infected with A. baumannii of K9 capsular type was shown in the example of recombinant TSD APK09_gp48. The data obtained will provide a better understanding of the interaction of phage-bacterial host systems and will contribute to the formation of principles of rational usage of lytic phages and phage-derived enzymes as antibacterial agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Y Timoshina
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia
- State Research Center for Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 142279 Obolensk, Russia
| | - Anastasia A Kasimova
- N. D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Mikhail M Shneider
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Ilya O Matyuta
- Bach Institute of Biochemistry, Research Centre of Biotechnology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 119071 Moscow, Russia
- Center for Photonics and 2D Materials, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, 141700 Dolgoprudny, Russia
| | - Alena Y Nikolaeva
- Complex of NBICS Technologies, National Research Center "Kurchatov Institute", 123182 Moscow, Russia
| | - Peter V Evseev
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Nikolay P Arbatsky
- N. D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexander S Shashkov
- N. D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexander O Chizhov
- N. D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Andrey A Shelenkov
- Central Scientific Research Institute of Epidemiology, 111123 Moscow, Russia
| | - Yulia V Mikhaylova
- Central Scientific Research Institute of Epidemiology, 111123 Moscow, Russia
| | - Pavel V Slukin
- State Research Center for Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 142279 Obolensk, Russia
| | - Nikolay V Volozhantsev
- State Research Center for Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 142279 Obolensk, Russia
| | - Konstantin M Boyko
- Bach Institute of Biochemistry, Research Centre of Biotechnology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 119071 Moscow, Russia
| | - Yuriy A Knirel
- N. D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Konstantin A Miroshnikov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Anastasia V Popova
- State Research Center for Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 142279 Obolensk, Russia
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11
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Tu Q, Pu M, Li Y, Wang Y, Li M, Song L, Li M, An X, Fan H, Tong Y. Acinetobacter Baumannii Phages: Past, Present and Future. Viruses 2023; 15:v15030673. [PMID: 36992382 PMCID: PMC10057898 DOI: 10.3390/v15030673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) is one of the most common clinical pathogens and a typical multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacterium. With the increase of drug-resistant A. baumannii infections, it is urgent to find some new treatment strategies, such as phage therapy. In this paper, we described the different drug resistances of A. baumannii and some basic properties of A. baumannii phages, analyzed the interaction between phages and their hosts, and focused on A. baumannii phage therapies. Finally, we discussed the chance and challenge of phage therapy. This paper aims to provide a more comprehensive understanding of A. baumannii phages and theoretical support for the clinical application of A. baumannii phages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qihang Tu
- College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Mingfang Pu
- College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Yahao Li
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering (BAIC-SM), Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Yuer Wang
- College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Maochen Li
- College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Lihua Song
- College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Mengzhe Li
- College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Xiaoping An
- College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Huahao Fan
- College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
- Correspondence: (H.F.); (Y.T.)
| | - Yigang Tong
- College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering (BAIC-SM), Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
- Correspondence: (H.F.); (Y.T.)
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12
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Beamud B, García-González N, Gómez-Ortega M, González-Candelas F, Domingo-Calap P, Sanjuan R. Genetic determinants of host tropism in Klebsiella phages. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112048. [PMID: 36753420 PMCID: PMC9989827 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Revised: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophages play key roles in bacterial ecology and evolution and are potential antimicrobials. However, the determinants of phage-host specificity remain elusive. Here, we isolate 46 phages to challenge 138 representative clinical isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae, a widespread opportunistic pathogen. Spot tests show a narrow host range for most phages, with <2% of 6,319 phage-host combinations tested yielding detectable interactions. Bacterial capsule diversity is the main factor restricting phage host range. Consequently, phage-encoded depolymerases are key determinants of host tropism, and depolymerase sequence types are associated with the ability to infect specific capsular types across phage families. However, all phages with a broader host range found do not encode canonical depolymerases, suggesting alternative modes of entry. These findings expand our knowledge of the complex interactions between bacteria and their viruses and point out the feasibility of predicting the first steps of phage infection using bacterial and phage genome sequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatriz Beamud
- Joint Research Unit Infection and Public Health, FISABIO-Universitat de València, 46020 València, Spain; Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (I(2)SysBio), Universitat de València-CSIC, 46980 Paterna, Spain
| | - Neris García-González
- Joint Research Unit Infection and Public Health, FISABIO-Universitat de València, 46020 València, Spain; Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (I(2)SysBio), Universitat de València-CSIC, 46980 Paterna, Spain
| | - Mar Gómez-Ortega
- Joint Research Unit Infection and Public Health, FISABIO-Universitat de València, 46020 València, Spain
| | - Fernando González-Candelas
- Joint Research Unit Infection and Public Health, FISABIO-Universitat de València, 46020 València, Spain; Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (I(2)SysBio), Universitat de València-CSIC, 46980 Paterna, Spain.
| | - Pilar Domingo-Calap
- Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (I(2)SysBio), Universitat de València-CSIC, 46980 Paterna, Spain.
| | - Rafael Sanjuan
- Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (I(2)SysBio), Universitat de València-CSIC, 46980 Paterna, Spain.
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13
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Gomes M, Domingues R, Turner D, Oliveira H. Genomic Analysis of Two Novel Bacteriophages Infecting Acinetobacter beijerinckii and halotolerans Species. Viruses 2023; 15:643. [PMID: 36992352 PMCID: PMC10057805 DOI: 10.3390/v15030643] [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: 01/12/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophages are the most diverse genetic entities on Earth. In this study, two novel bacteriophages, nACB1 (Podoviridae morphotype) and nACB2 (Myoviridae morphotype), which infect Acinetobacter beijerinckii and Acinetobacter halotolerans, respectively, were isolated from sewage samples. The genome sequences of nACB1 and nACB2 revealed that their genome sizes were 80,310 bp and 136,560 bp, respectively. Comparative analysis showed that both genomes are novel members of the Schitoviridae and the Ackermannviridae families, sharing ≤ 40% overall nucleotide identities with any other phages. Interestingly, among other genetic features, nACB1 encoded a very large RNA polymerase, while nACB2 displayed three putative depolymerases (two capsular depolymerases and one capsular esterase) encoded in tandem. This is the first report of phages infecting A. halotolerans and beijerinckii human pathogenic species. The findings regarding these two phages will allow us to further explore phage-Acinetobacter interactions and the genetic evolution for this group of phages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Gomes
- Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
- LABBELS–Associate Laboratory, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - Rita Domingues
- Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
- LABBELS–Associate Laboratory, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - Dann Turner
- School of Applied Sciences, College of Health, Science and Society, University of the West of England, Bristol Frenchay Campus, Coldharbour Lane, Bristol BS16 1QY, UK
| | - Hugo Oliveira
- Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
- LABBELS–Associate Laboratory, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
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14
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Leprince A, Mahillon J. Phage Adsorption to Gram-Positive Bacteria. Viruses 2023; 15:196. [PMID: 36680236 PMCID: PMC9863714 DOI: 10.3390/v15010196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2022] [Revised: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The phage life cycle is a multi-stage process initiated by the recognition and attachment of the virus to its bacterial host. This adsorption step depends on the specific interaction between bacterial structures acting as receptors and viral proteins called Receptor Binding Proteins (RBP). The adsorption process is essential as it is the first determinant of phage host range and a sine qua non condition for the subsequent conduct of the life cycle. In phages belonging to the Caudoviricetes class, the capsid is attached to a tail, which is the central player in the adsorption as it comprises the RBP and accessory proteins facilitating phage binding and cell wall penetration prior to genome injection. The nature of the viral proteins involved in host adhesion not only depends on the phage morphology (i.e., myovirus, siphovirus, or podovirus) but also the targeted host. Here, we give an overview of the adsorption process and compile the available information on the type of receptors that can be recognized and the viral proteins taking part in the process, with the primary focus on phages infecting Gram-positive bacteria.
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15
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Oliveira H, Drulis-Kawa Z, Azeredo J. Exploiting phage-derived carbohydrate depolymerases for combating infectious diseases. Trends Microbiol 2022; 30:707-709. [PMID: 35691880 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2022.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Bacteria are protected against the immune system of their human hosts, as well as against predators such as phages, by expressing diverse surface carbohydrates. Some phages produce specialized depolymerases which can degrade those carbohydrates. Here, we discuss the biological role of depolymerases and how they can be exploited to develop new therapeutic strategies against pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugo Oliveira
- CEB - Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal; LABBELS - Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal; ESCMID Study Group for Non-traditional Antibacterial Therapy (ESGNTA); ESCMID Study Group for Biofilms (ESGB).
| | - Zuzanna Drulis-Kawa
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, University of Wroclaw, Wroclaw, Poland; ESCMID Study Group for Non-traditional Antibacterial Therapy (ESGNTA).
| | - Joana Azeredo
- CEB - Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal; LABBELS - Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal; ESCMID Study Group for Non-traditional Antibacterial Therapy (ESGNTA); ESCMID Study Group for Biofilms (ESGB).
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16
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Kasimova AA, Dudnik AG, Shashkov AS, Shneider MM, Christofferson A, Shelenkov AA, Mikhailova YV, Kenyon JJ, Knirel YA. The K218 capsular polysaccharide produced by Acinetobacter baumannii isolate 52-249 includes 5,7-di-N-acetylpseudaminic acid linked by a KpsS3 glycosyltransferase. Int J Biol Macromol 2022; 218:310-316. [PMID: 35872309 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.07.135] [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: 05/26/2022] [Revised: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Two acylated forms of the higher sugar, 5,7-diamino-3,5,7,9-tetradeoxy-l-glycero-l-manno-non-2-ulosonic acid called pseudaminic acid, Pse5Ac7Ac and Pse5Ac7RHb where R indicates (R)-3-hydroxybutanoyl, have been found to occur in many capsular polysaccharide (CPS) types produced by isolates of an important human pathogen, Acinetobacter baumannii. The presence of either a psaABCEDF or psaABCGHF gene module at the K locus (KL) for CPS biosynthesis determines the type of the variant produced. Here, an A. baumannii clinical isolate 52-249, recovered in 2015 in Moscow, Russia, was found to include a novel psaABCIJF gene module in the KL218 sequence at the K locus. The CPS from 52-249 was extracted and studied by sugar analysis and partial acid hydrolysis along with one- and two-dimensional 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy. A branched tetrasaccharide repeating unit was identified, which included a →3)-α-d-Galp-(1→6)-α-d-GlcpNAc-(1→3)-β-d-GalpNAc-(1→ main chain and Pse5Ac7Ac attached as a side branch, indicating that the psaABCIJF gene module is associated with synthesis of this variant. The K218 CPS was found to be structurally related to the K46 CPS of A. baumannii, and a comparison of the two structures enabled the assignment of glycosyltransferases. A KpsS3 protein for the α-(2→6) linkage of the Pse5Ac7Ac residue to D-Galp in K218 was identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasiya A Kasimova
- N. D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Aleksandra G Dudnik
- N. D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexander S Shashkov
- N. D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Mikhail M Shneider
- M. M. Shemyakin & Y. A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Alex Christofferson
- Centre for Immunology and Infection Control, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
| | | | | | - Johanna J Kenyon
- Centre for Immunology and Infection Control, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia.
| | - Yuriy A Knirel
- N. D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
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17
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Kasimova AA, Shneider MM, Edelstein MV, Dzhaparova AA, Shashkov AS, Knirel YA, Kenyon JJ. Structure of the K98 capsular polysaccharide from Acinetobacter baumannii REV-1184 containing a cyclic pyruvic acid acetal. Int J Biol Macromol 2022; 218:447-455. [PMID: 35872312 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.07.136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Revised: 07/03/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
The K98 capsular polysaccharide (CPS) from the Acinetobacter baumannii clinical isolate, REV-1184, was studied by sugar analysis and Smith degradation along with one- and two-dimensional 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy and high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. The CPS was found to consist of linear tetrasaccharide repeats (K-units) that include one residue each of d-GlcpNAc, d-GalpNAc, 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-d-galacturonic acid (d-GalpNAcA), and 2-acetamido-2,6-dideoxy-d-glucose (N-acetylquinovosamine, d-QuipNAc), with the GalpNAc residue decorated with a (R)-configurated 4,6-pyruvic acid acetal group. The CPS has a similar composition to that of A. baumannii K4 but the topology of the tetrasaccharide K-unit is different (linear in K98 versus branched in K4). This was due to a difference in sequence for the Wzy polymerases encoded by the CPS biosynthesis gene clusters KL98 and KL4, with the WzyK98 polymerase forming a β-d-QuipNAc-(1→3)-d-GalpNAc linkage between the K98 units.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasiya A Kasimova
- N. D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Mikhail M Shneider
- M. M. Shemyakin and Y. A.Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Mikhail V Edelstein
- Institute of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, Smolensk State Medical University, 214019 Smolensk, Russia.
| | - Alina A Dzhaparova
- N. D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexander S Shashkov
- N. D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Yuriy A Knirel
- N. D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Johanna J Kenyon
- Centre for Immunology and Infection Control, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia.
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18
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Rai S, Kumar A. Bacteriophage therapeutics to confront multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii - a global health menace. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS 2022; 14:347-364. [PMID: 34196126 DOI: 10.1111/1758-2229.12988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Revised: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
We have already entered the post-antibiotic era as the outbreaks of numerous multidrug-resistant strains in the community as well as hospital-acquired infections are ringing alarm bells in the health sector. Acinetobacter baumannii is one such pathogen that has been considered a worldwide threat as it acquires multidrug resistance. It is one of the most challenging hospital-acquired pathogens as World Health Organization has listed carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii as a critical priority pathogen with limited therapeutic options. There is an urgent need to develop novel strategies against such pathogens to tackle the global crisis. Bacteriophages (phages), especially the lytic ones have re-emerged as a potential therapeutic approach. This review encompasses vast majority of phages against A. baumannii strains with special references related to single phage or monophage therapy, use of phage cocktails, combination therapy with antibiotics, use of phage-derived enzymes like endolysins and depolymerases to combat the pathogen and explore their therapeutic aspects. The concurrent ecological as well as evolutionary interplay between the phages and host bacteria demands in depth-research and knowledge, so as to utilize the maximum potential of the bacteriophage therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandhya Rai
- Department of Zoology, Deshbandhu College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, 110019, India
| | - Amod Kumar
- Department of Zoology, Kirori Mal College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, 110007, India
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19
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Abdelkader K, Gutiérrez D, Latka A, Boeckaerts D, Drulis-Kawa Z, Criel B, Gerstmans H, Safaan A, Khairalla AS, Gaber Y, Dishisha T, Briers Y. The Specific Capsule Depolymerase of Phage PMK34 Sensitizes Acinetobacter baumannii to Serum Killing. Antibiotics (Basel) 2022; 11:antibiotics11050677. [PMID: 35625321 PMCID: PMC9137491 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics11050677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Revised: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The rising antimicrobial resistance is particularly alarming for Acinetobacter baumannii, calling for the discovery and evaluation of alternatives to treat A. baumannii infections. Some bacteriophages produce a structural protein that depolymerizes capsular exopolysaccharide. Such purified depolymerases are considered as novel antivirulence compounds. We identified and characterized a depolymerase (DpoMK34) from Acinetobacter phage vB_AbaP_PMK34 active against the clinical isolate A. baumannii MK34. In silico analysis reveals a modular protein displaying a conserved N-terminal domain for anchoring to the phage tail, and variable central and C-terminal domains for enzymatic activity and specificity. AlphaFold-Multimer predicts a trimeric protein adopting an elongated structure due to a long α-helix, an enzymatic β-helix domain and a hypervariable 4 amino acid hotspot in the most ultimate loop of the C-terminal domain. In contrast to the tail fiber of phage T3, this hypervariable hotspot appears unrelated with the primary receptor. The functional characterization of DpoMK34 revealed a mesophilic enzyme active up to 50 °C across a wide pH range (4 to 11) and specific for the capsule of A. baumannii MK34. Enzymatic degradation of the A. baumannii MK34 capsule causes a significant drop in phage adsorption from 95% to 9% after 5 min. Although lacking intrinsic antibacterial activity, DpoMK34 renders A. baumannii MK34 fully susceptible to serum killing in a serum concentration dependent manner. Unlike phage PMK34, DpoMK34 does not easily select for resistant mutants either against PMK34 or itself. In sum, DpoMK34 is a potential antivirulence compound that can be included in a depolymerase cocktail to control difficult to treat A. baumannii infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karim Abdelkader
- Department of Biotechnology, Ghent University, Valentin Vaerwyckweg 1, 9000 Gent, Belgium; (K.A.); (D.G.); (A.L.); (D.B.); (B.C.); (H.G.)
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef 62511, Egypt; (A.S.K.); (Y.G.); (T.D.)
| | - Diana Gutiérrez
- Department of Biotechnology, Ghent University, Valentin Vaerwyckweg 1, 9000 Gent, Belgium; (K.A.); (D.G.); (A.L.); (D.B.); (B.C.); (H.G.)
| | - Agnieszka Latka
- Department of Biotechnology, Ghent University, Valentin Vaerwyckweg 1, 9000 Gent, Belgium; (K.A.); (D.G.); (A.L.); (D.B.); (B.C.); (H.G.)
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Institute of Genetics and Microbiology, University of Wroclaw, Przybyszewskiego 63, 51-148 Wrocław, Poland;
| | - Dimitri Boeckaerts
- Department of Biotechnology, Ghent University, Valentin Vaerwyckweg 1, 9000 Gent, Belgium; (K.A.); (D.G.); (A.L.); (D.B.); (B.C.); (H.G.)
- Department of Data Analysis and Mathematical Modelling, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Gent, Belgium
| | - Zuzanna Drulis-Kawa
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Institute of Genetics and Microbiology, University of Wroclaw, Przybyszewskiego 63, 51-148 Wrocław, Poland;
| | - Bjorn Criel
- Department of Biotechnology, Ghent University, Valentin Vaerwyckweg 1, 9000 Gent, Belgium; (K.A.); (D.G.); (A.L.); (D.B.); (B.C.); (H.G.)
- Department of Data Analysis and Mathematical Modelling, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Gent, Belgium
| | - Hans Gerstmans
- Department of Biotechnology, Ghent University, Valentin Vaerwyckweg 1, 9000 Gent, Belgium; (K.A.); (D.G.); (A.L.); (D.B.); (B.C.); (H.G.)
- Laboratory of Gene Technology, Department of Biosystems, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 21, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Biosystems, KU Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Amal Safaan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Menoufia University, Shebin El-Koum 51132, Egypt;
| | - Ahmed S. Khairalla
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef 62511, Egypt; (A.S.K.); (Y.G.); (T.D.)
- Department of Biology, University of Regina, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada
| | - Yasser Gaber
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef 62511, Egypt; (A.S.K.); (Y.G.); (T.D.)
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mutah University, Karak 61710, Jordan
| | - Tarek Dishisha
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef 62511, Egypt; (A.S.K.); (Y.G.); (T.D.)
| | - Yves Briers
- Department of Biotechnology, Ghent University, Valentin Vaerwyckweg 1, 9000 Gent, Belgium; (K.A.); (D.G.); (A.L.); (D.B.); (B.C.); (H.G.)
- Correspondence:
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20
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Bujak K, Decewicz P, Kitowicz M, Radlinska M. Characterization of Three Novel Virulent Aeromonas Phages Provides Insights into the Diversity of the Autographiviridae Family. Viruses 2022; 14:1016. [PMID: 35632757 PMCID: PMC9145550 DOI: 10.3390/v14051016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [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: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, we isolated and characterized three novel virulent Autographiviridae bacteriophages, vB_AspA_Bolek, vB_AspA_Lolek, and vB_AspA_Tola, which infect different Aeromonas strains. These three host-pathogen pairs were derived from the same sampling location-the arsenic-containing microbial mats of the Zloty Stok gold mine. Functional analysis showed they are psychrotolerant (4-25 °C), albeit with a much wider temperature range of propagation for the hosts (≤37 °C). Comparative genomic analyses revealed a high nucleotide and amino acid sequence similarity of vB_AspA_Bolek and vB_AspA_Lolek, with significant differences exclusively in the C-terminal region of their tail fibers, which might explain their host range discrimination. The protein-based phage network, together with a phylogenetic analysis of the marker proteins, allowed us to assign vB_AspA_Bolek and vB_AspA_Lolek to the Beijerinckvirinae and vB_AspA_Tola to the Colwellvirinae subfamilies, but as three novel species, due to their low nucleotide sequence coverage and identity with other known phage genomes. Global comparative analysis showed that the studied phages are also markedly different from most of the 24 Aeromonas autographiviruses known so far. Finally, this study provides in-depth insight into the diversity of the Autographiviridae phages and reveals genomic similarities between selected groups of this family as well as between autographiviruses and their relatives of other Caudoviricetes families.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Monika Radlinska
- Department of Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, Institute of Microbiology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096 Warsaw, Poland; (K.B.); (P.D.); (M.K.)
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21
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Filik K, Szermer-Olearnik B, Oleksy S, Brykała J, Brzozowska E. Bacteriophage Tail Proteins as a Tool for Bacterial Pathogen Recognition-A Literature Review. Antibiotics (Basel) 2022; 11:555. [PMID: 35625199 PMCID: PMC9137617 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics11050555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, a number of bacterial detection methods have been developed to replace time-consuming culture methods. One interesting approach is to mobilize the ability of phage tail proteins to recognize and bind to bacterial hosts. In this paper, the authors provide an overview of the current methodologies in which phage proteins play major roles in detecting pathogenic bacteria. Authors focus on proteins capable of recognizing highly pathogenic strains, such as Acinetobacter baumannii, Campylobacter spp., Yersinia pestis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus spp., Salmonella spp., and Shigella. These pathogens may be diagnosed by capture-based detection methods involving the use of phage protein-coated nanoparticles, ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay)-based methods, or biosensors. The reviewed studies show that phage proteins are becoming an important diagnostic tool due to the discovery of new phages and the increasing knowledge of understanding the specificity and functions of phage tail proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karolina Filik
- Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, St. R. Weigl 12, 51-167 Wroclaw, Poland; (S.O.); (J.B.); (E.B.)
| | - Bożena Szermer-Olearnik
- Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, St. R. Weigl 12, 51-167 Wroclaw, Poland; (S.O.); (J.B.); (E.B.)
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22
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Soontarach R, Srimanote P, Enright MC, Blundell-Hunter G, Dorman MJ, Thomson NR, Taylor PW, Voravuthikunchai SP. Isolation and Characterisation of Bacteriophage Selective for Key Acinetobacter baumannii Capsule Chemotypes. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:443. [PMID: 35455440 PMCID: PMC9027227 DOI: 10.3390/ph15040443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Revised: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Nineteen bacteriophages against five main capsular types of multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii were isolated from tertiary care hospital sewage. Eight representative phages from each capsular type were characterized and tested for their biological properties. The biological features revealed that phages T1245, T444, and T515 had a large burst size of more than 420 pfu/mL, together with a short latent period lasting less than 6 min, and were readily adsorbed to a bacterial host within 10 min. Moreover, these phages demonstrated host specificity and stability over a broad range of temperatures (-20 to 60 °C) and pH (5.0-9.0). A whole-genome analysis of six lytic and two temperate phages revealed high genomic similarity with double-stranded DNA between 40 and 50 kb and G + C content of 38-39%. The protein compositions disclosed the absence of toxin-coding genes. The phylogenic results, together with morphological micrographs, confirmed that three selected phages (T1245, T444, and T515) belong to the Podoviridae family within the order Caudovirales. The biological data and bioinformatics analysis indicated that these novel A. baumannii phages possess important enzymes, including depolymerase and endolysin, which could be further developed as promising alternative antibacterial agents to control A. baumannii infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosesathorn Soontarach
- Division of Biological Science, Faculty of Science and Natural Product Research Center of Excellence, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla 90110, Thailand;
- Center of Antimicrobial Biomaterial Innovation-Southeast Asia, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla 90110, Thailand
| | - Potjanee Srimanote
- Graduate Program, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Thammasat University, Pathum Thani 12121, Thailand;
| | - Mark C. Enright
- Department of Life Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, Chester Street, Manchester M1 5GD, UK;
| | | | - Matthew J. Dorman
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire CB10 1SA, UK; (M.J.D.); (N.R.T.)
| | - Nicholas R. Thomson
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire CB10 1SA, UK; (M.J.D.); (N.R.T.)
- Department of Infection Biology, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Peter W. Taylor
- School of Pharmacy, University College London, London WC1N 1AX, UK; (G.B.-H.); (P.W.T.)
| | - Supayang P. Voravuthikunchai
- Division of Biological Science, Faculty of Science and Natural Product Research Center of Excellence, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla 90110, Thailand;
- Center of Antimicrobial Biomaterial Innovation-Southeast Asia, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla 90110, Thailand
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23
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Knecht LE, Heinrich N, Born Y, Felder K, Pelludat C, Loessner MJ, Fieseler L. Bacteriophage S6 requires bacterial cellulose for Erwinia amylovora infection. Environ Microbiol 2022; 24:3436-3450. [PMID: 35289468 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Bacteriophages are highly selective in targeting bacteria. This selectivity relies on the specific adsorption of phages to the host cell surface. In this study, a Tn5 transposon mutant library of Erwinia amylovora, the causative agent of fire blight, was screened to identify bacterial receptors required for infection by the podovirus S6. Phage S6 was unable to infect mutants with defects in the bacterial cellulose synthase operon (bcs). The Bcs complex produces and secretes bacterial cellulose, an extracellular polysaccharide associated with bacterial biofilms. Deletion of the bcs operon or associated genes (bcsA, bcsC and bcsZ) verified the crucial role of bacterial cellulose for S6 infection. Application of the cellulose binding dye Congo Red blocked infection by S6. We demonstrate that infective S6 virions degraded cellulose and that Gp95, a phage-encoded cellulase, is involved to catalyse the reaction. In planta S6 did not significantly inhibit fire blight symptom development. Moreover, deletion of bcs genes in E. amylovora did not affect bacterial virulence in blossom infections, indicating that sole application of cellulose targeting phages is less appropriate to biologically control E. amylovora. The interplay between cellulose synthesis, host cell infection and maintenance of the host cell population is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leandra E Knecht
- Food Microbiology Research Group, Institute of Food and Beverage Innovation, Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), Wädenswil, Switzerland.,Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Nadine Heinrich
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Yannick Born
- Food Microbiology Research Group, Institute of Food and Beverage Innovation, Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), Wädenswil, Switzerland
| | - Katja Felder
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Cosima Pelludat
- Agroscope, Plant Pathology and Zoology in Fruit and Vegetable Production, Wädenswil, Switzerland
| | - Martin J Loessner
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Lars Fieseler
- Food Microbiology Research Group, Institute of Food and Beverage Innovation, Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), Wädenswil, Switzerland
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24
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Wintachai P, Phaonakrop N, Roytrakul S, Naknaen A, Pomwised R, Voravuthikunchai SP, Surachat K, Smith DR. Enhanced antibacterial effect of a novel Friunavirus phage vWU2001 in combination with colistin against carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii. Sci Rep 2022; 12:2633. [PMID: 35173237 PMCID: PMC8850435 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-06582-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The emergence of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) has been increasingly reported, leading to greater challenges in treating infections. With the development of phage therapy and phage-antibiotic combinations, it is promising to improve the treatment of bacterial infections. In the present study, a novel vB_AbaP_WU2001 (vWU2001) phage-specific CRAB with a genome of 40,792 bp was isolated. Genomic analysis disclosed that it belongs to the Autographiviridae family of the order Caudovirales. Phage vWU2001 had a broad host range with a high adsorption rate, short latent period, large burst size and good stability. The phage could reduce preformed biofilms and inhibit biofilm formation. The combination of phage vWU2001 and colistin had significantly higher bacterial growth inhibition activity than that of phage, or colistin alone. The efficacy of the combined treatment was also evaluated in Galleria mellonella. Evaluation of its therapeutic potential showed that the combination of phage and colistin resulted in a significantly greater increase in G. mellonella survival and in bacterial clearance, as compared with that of phage or colistin alone, indicating that the combination was synergistic against CRAB. The results demonstrated that phage vWU2001 has the potential to be developed as an antibacterial agent.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Narumon Phaonakrop
- Functional Proteomics Technology Laboratory, Functional Ingredients and Food Innovation Research Group, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, National Science and Technology Development Agency, Khlong Luang, Pathum Thani, 12120, Thailand
| | - Sittiruk Roytrakul
- Functional Proteomics Technology Laboratory, Functional Ingredients and Food Innovation Research Group, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, National Science and Technology Development Agency, Khlong Luang, Pathum Thani, 12120, Thailand
| | - Ampapan Naknaen
- Division of Biological Science, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla, 90110, Thailand
| | - Rattanaruji Pomwised
- Division of Biological Science, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla, 90110, Thailand
| | - Supayang Piyawan Voravuthikunchai
- Division of Biological Science, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla, 90110, Thailand.,Center of Antimicrobial Biomaterial Innovation-Southeast Asia and Natural Product Research Center of Excellence, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla, 90110, Thailand
| | - Komwit Surachat
- Molecular Evolution and Computational Biology Research Unit, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla, 90110, Thailand
| | - Duncan R Smith
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Mahidol University, Phuttamonthon, Nakhon Pathom, 73170, Thailand
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25
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Isolation and Characterization of a Novel Autographiviridae Phage and Its Combined Effect with Tigecycline in Controlling Multidrug-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii-Associated Skin and Soft Tissue Infections. Viruses 2022; 14:v14020194. [PMID: 35215788 PMCID: PMC8878389 DOI: 10.3390/v14020194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (MDR A. baumannii) is one of the ESKAPE pathogens that restricts available treatment options. MDR A. baumannii is responsible for a dramatic increase in case numbers of a wide variety of infections, including skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs), resulting in pyoderma, surgical debridement, and necrotizing fasciitis. To investigate an alternative medical treatment for SSTIs, a broad range lytic Acinetobacter phage, vB _AbP_ABWU2101 (phage vABWU2101), for lysing MDR A. baumannii in associated SSTIs was isolated and the biological aspects of this phage were investigated. Morphological characterization and genomic analysis revealed that phage vABWU2101 was a new species in the Friunavirus, Beijerinckvirinae, family Autographiviridae, and order Caudovirales. Antibiofilm activity of phage vABWU2101 demonstrated good activity against both preformed biofilms and biofilm formation. The combination of phage vABWU2101 and tigecycline showed synergistic antimicrobial activities against planktonic and biofilm cells. Scanning electron microscopy confirmed that the antibacterial efficacy of the combination of phage vABWU2101 and tigecycline was more effective than the phage or antibiotic alone. Hence, our findings could potentially be used to develop a therapeutic option for the treatment of SSTIs caused by MDR A. baumannii.
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26
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Oliveira H, Domingues R, Evans B, Sutton JM, Adriaenssens EM, Turner D. Genomic Diversity of Bacteriophages Infecting the Genus Acinetobacter. Viruses 2022; 14:181. [PMID: 35215775 PMCID: PMC8878043 DOI: 10.3390/v14020181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Revised: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The number of sequenced Acinetobacter phage genomes in the International Nucleotide Sequence Database Collaboration has increased significantly in recent years, from 37 in 2017 to a total of 139 as of January 2021 with genome sizes ranging from 31 to 378 kb. Here, we explored the genetic diversity of the Acinetobacter phages using comparative genomics approaches that included assessment of nucleotide similarity, shared gene content, single gene phylogeny, and the network-based classification tool vConTACT2. Phages infecting Acinetobacter sp. are genetically diverse and can be grouped into 8 clusters (subfamilies) and 46 sub-clusters (genera), of which 8 represent genomic singletons (additional genera). We propose the creation of five new subfamilies and suggest a reorganisation of the genus Obolenskvirus. These results provide an updated view of the viruses infecting Acinetobacter species, providing insights into their diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugo Oliveira
- Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar Braga, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (H.O.); (R.D.)
| | - Rita Domingues
- Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar Braga, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (H.O.); (R.D.)
| | - Benjamin Evans
- Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK;
| | - J. Mark Sutton
- United Kingdom Health Security Agency, Research and Evaluation, Porton Down, Salisbury SP4 OJG, UK;
| | | | - Dann Turner
- Department of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Health and Applied Sciences, University of the West of England, Bristol BS16 1QY, UK
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27
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«Development of an anti- Acinetobacter baumannii biofilm phage cocktail: Genomic Adaptation to the Host». Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2022; 66:e0192321. [PMID: 35041503 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01923-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The need for alternatives to antibiotic therapy due to the emergence of multidrug resistant bacteria (MDR), such as the nosocomial pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii, has led to the recovery of phage therapy. In addition, phages can be combined in cocktails to increase the host range. In this study, the evolutionary mechanism of adaptation was utilized in order to develop a phage adapted to A. baumannii, named phage Ab105-2phiΔCI404ad, from a mutant lytic phage, Ab105-2phiΔCI, previously developed by our group. The whole genome sequence of phage Ab105-2phiΔCI404ad was determined, showing that four genomic rearrangements events occurred in the tail morphogenesis module affecting the ORFs encoding the host receptor binding sites. As a consequence of the genomic rearrangements, 10 ORFs were lost and four new ORFs were obtained, all encoding tail proteins; two inverted regions were also derived from these events. The adaptation process increased the host range of the adapted phage by almost three folds. In addition, a depolymerase-expressing phenotype, indicated by formation of a halo, which was not observed in the ancestral phage, was obtained in 81% of the infected strains. A phage cocktail was formed by combining this phage with the A. baumannii phage vB_AbaP_B3, known to express a depolymerase. Both the individual phages and the phage cocktail showed strong antimicrobial activity against 5 clinical strains and 1 reference strain of A. baumannii tested. However, in all cases resistance to the bacterial strains was also observed. The antibiofilm activity of the individual phages and the cocktail was assayed. The phage cocktail displayed strong antibiofilm activity.
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28
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Kasimova AA, Arbatsky NP, Timoshina OY, Shneider MM, Shashkov AS, Chizhov AO, Popova AV, Hall RM, Kenyon JJ, Knirel YA. The K26 capsular polysaccharide from Acinetobacter baumannii KZ-1098: Structure and cleavage by a specific phage depolymerase. Int J Biol Macromol 2021; 191:182-191. [PMID: 34537298 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2021.09.073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2021] [Revised: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The KL26 gene cluster responsible for the synthesis of the K26 capsular polysaccharide (CPS) of Acinetobacter baumannii includes rmlBDAC genes for l-rhamnose (l-Rhap) synthesis, tle to generate 6-deoxy-l-talose (l-6dTalp) from l-Rhap, and a manC gene for D-mannose (D-Manp) that is rare in Acinetobacter CPS. K26 CPS material was isolated from A. baumannii isolate KZ-1098, and studied by sugar analysis, Smith degradation, and one and two-dimensional 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy before and after O-deacetylation with aqueous ammonia. The following structure of the branched hexasaccharide repeating unit of the CPS was established: →2)-β-D-Manp-1→4-β-D-Glcp-1→3-α-L-6dTalp-1→3-β-D-GlcpNAc-(1→3↑14│Acα-L-Rhap-2←1-α-D-Glcp The structural depolymerase of phage vB_AbaP_APK26 cleaved selectively the β-GlcpNAc-(1 → 2)-α-Manp linkage in the K26 CPS formed by WzyK26 to give monomer, dimer, and trimer of the CPS repeating unit, which were characterized by high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry as well as 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy. The wzyK26 gene responsible for this linkage and the manC gene were only found in six A. baumannii genomes carrying KL26 and one carrying the novel KL148 gene cluster, indicating the rare occurrence of β-GlcpNAc-(1 → 2)-α-Manp in A. baumannii CPS structures. However, K26 shares a β-d-Glcp-(1 → 3)-α-l-6dTalp-(1 → 3)-β-d-GlcpNAc trisaccharide fragment with a group of related A. baumannii CPSs that have varying patterns of acetylation of l-6dTalp.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasiya A Kasimova
- N. D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Nikolay P Arbatsky
- N. D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Olga Y Timoshina
- M. M. Shemyakin & Y. A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Mikhail M Shneider
- M. M. Shemyakin & Y. A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexander S Shashkov
- N. D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia.
| | - Alexander O Chizhov
- N. D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia.
| | - Anastasiya V Popova
- State Research Center for Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, Obolensk, Moscow Region, Russia
| | - Ruth M Hall
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
| | - Johanna J Kenyon
- Centre for Immunology and Infection Control, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology. Brisbane, Australia.
| | - Yuriy A Knirel
- N. D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
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29
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Wang X, Loh B, Altamirano FG, Yu Y, Hua X, Leptihn S. Colistin- phage combinations decrease antibiotic resistance in A. baumannii via changes in envelope architecture. Emerg Microbes Infect 2021; 10:2205-2219. [PMID: 34736365 PMCID: PMC8648044 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2021.2002671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Multidrug-resistant bacterial infections are becoming increasingly common, with only few last-resort antibiotics such as colistin available for clinical therapy. An alternative therapeutic strategy gaining momentum is phage therapy, which has the advantage of not being affected by bacterial resistance to antibiotics. However, a major challenge in phage therapy is the rapid emergence of phage-resistant bacteria. In this work, our main aim was to understand the mechanisms of phage-resistance used by the top priority pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii. We isolated the novel phage Phab24, capable of infecting colistin-sensitive and -resistant strains of A. baumannii. After co-incubating Phab24 with its hosts, we obtained phage-resistant mutants which were characterized on both genotypic and phenotypic levels. Using whole genome sequencing, we identified phage-resistant strains that displayed mutations in genes that alter the architecture of the bacterial envelope at two levels: the capsule and the outer membrane. Using an adsorption assay, we confirmed that phage Phab24 uses the bacterial capsule as its primary receptor, with the outer membrane possibly serving as the secondary receptor. Interestingly, the phage-resistant isolates were less virulent compared to the parental strains in a Galleria mellonella infection model. Most importantly, we observed that phage-resistant bacteria that evolved in the absence of antibiotics exhibited an increased sensitivity to colistin, even though the antibiotic resistance mechanism per se remained unaltered. This increase in antibiotic sensitivity is a direct consequence of the phage-resistance mechanism, and could potentially be exploited in the clinical setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoqing Wang
- Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh (ZJU-UoE) Institute, Zhejiang University, Haining, China.,Medical school, Lishui University, Lishui, China
| | | | - Fernando Gordillo Altamirano
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.,Centre to Impact AMR, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Yunsong Yu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China .,Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology and Bioinformatics of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoting Hua
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China .,Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology and Bioinformatics of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Sebastian Leptihn
- Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh (ZJU-UoE) Institute, Zhejiang University, Haining, China.,Department of Infectious Diseases, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China .,University of Edinburgh Medical School, Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine & Veterinary Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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30
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Park DW, Park JH. Characterization of a novel phage depolymerase specific to Escherichia coli O157:H7 and biofilm control on abiotic surfaces. J Microbiol 2021; 59:1002-1009. [PMID: 34613607 DOI: 10.1007/s12275-021-1413-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Revised: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The increasing prevalence of foodborne diseases caused by Escherichia coli O157:H7 as well as its ability to form biofilms poses major threats to public health worldwide. With increasing concerns about the limitations of current disinfectant treatments, phage-derived depolymerases may be used as promising biocontrol agents. Therefore, in this study, the characterization, purification, and application of a novel phage depolymerase, Dpo10, specifically targeting the lipopolysaccharides of E. coli O157, was performed. Dpo10, with a molecular mass of 98 kDa, was predicted to possess pectate lyase activity via genome analysis and considered to act as a receptor-binding protein of the phage. We confirmed that the purified Dpo10 showed O-polysaccharide degrading activity only for the E. coli O157 strains by observing its opaque halo. Dpo10 maintained stable enzymatic activities across a wide range of temperature conditions under 55°C and mild basic pH. Notably, Dpo10 did not inhibit bacterial growth but significantly increased the complement-mediated serum lysis of E. coli O157 by degrading its O-polysaccharides. Moreover, Dpo10 inhibited the biofilm formation against E. coli O157 on abiotic polystyrene by 8-fold and stainless steel by 2.56 log CFU/coupon. This inhibition was visually confirmed via fieldemission scanning electron microscopy. Therefore, the novel depolymerase from E. coli siphophage exhibits specific binding and lytic activities on the lipopolysaccharide of E. coli O157 and may be used as a promising anti-biofilm agent against the E. coli O157:H7 strain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Do-Won Park
- Department of Food Science and Biotechnology, Gachon University, Seongnam, 13120, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong-Hyun Park
- Department of Food Science and Biotechnology, Gachon University, Seongnam, 13120, Republic of Korea.
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31
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Sørensen AN, Woudstra C, Sørensen MCH, Brøndsted L. Subtypes of tail spike proteins predicts the host range of Ackermannviridae phages. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2021; 19:4854-4867. [PMID: 34527194 PMCID: PMC8432352 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2021.08.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Revised: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Phages belonging to the Ackermannviridae family encode up to four tail spike proteins (TSPs), each recognizing a specific receptor of their bacterial hosts. Here, we determined the TSPs diversity of 99 Ackermannviridae phages by performing a comprehensive in silico analysis. Based on sequence diversity, we assigned all TSPs into distinctive subtypes of TSP1, TSP2, TSP3 and TSP4, and found each TSP subtype to be specifically associated with the genera (Kuttervirus, Agtrevirus, Limestonevirus, Taipeivirus) of the Ackermannviridae family. Further analysis showed that the N-terminal XD1 and XD2 domains in TSP2 and TSP4, hinging the four TSPs together, are preserved. In contrast, the C-terminal receptor binding modules were only conserved within TSP subtypes, except for some Kuttervirus TSP1s and TSP3s that were similar to specific TSP4s. A conserved motif in TSP1, TSP3 and TSP4 of Kuttervirus phages may allow recombination between receptor binding modules, thus altering host recognition. The receptors for numerous uncharacterized phages expressing TSPs in the same subtypes were predicted using previous host range data. To validate our predictions, we experimentally determined the host recognition of three of the four TSPs expressed by kuttervirus S117. We confirmed that S117 TSP1 and TSP2 bind to their predicted host receptors, and identified the receptor for TSP3, which is shared by 51 other Kuttervirus phages. Kuttervirus phages were thus shown encode a vast genetic diversity of potentially exchangeable TSPs influencing host recognition. Overall, our study demonstrates that comprehensive in silico and host range analysis of TSPs can predict host recognition of Ackermannviridae phages.
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Key Words
- ANI, Average nucleotide identity
- Ackermannviridae family
- Bacteriophage
- CPS, Capsular polysaccharide
- EOP, Efficiency of plating
- Escherichia coli O:157
- Host range
- LB, Luria-Bertani
- LPS, Lipopolysaccharide
- NCBI, National Center for Biotechnology Information
- O-antigen
- ORF, Open reading frame
- PFU, Plaque formation unit
- RBP, Receptor binding protein
- Receptor-binding proteins
- Salmonella
- TSP, Tail spike protein
- Tail spike proteins
- VriC, Virulence-associated protein
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Affiliation(s)
- Anders Nørgaard Sørensen
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Stigbøjlen 4, 1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Cedric Woudstra
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Stigbøjlen 4, 1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Martine C Holst Sørensen
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Stigbøjlen 4, 1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Lone Brøndsted
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Stigbøjlen 4, 1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
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32
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Corral J, Pérez-Varela M, Sánchez-Osuna M, Cortés P, Barbé J, Aranda J. Importance of twitching and surface-associated motility in the virulence of Acinetobacter baumannii. Virulence 2021; 12:2201-2213. [PMID: 34515614 PMCID: PMC8451467 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2021.1950268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Acinetobacter baumannii is a pathogen of increasing clinical importance worldwide, especially given its ability to readily acquire resistance determinants. Motile strains of this bacterium can move by either or both of two types of motility: (i) twitching, driven by type IV pili, and (ii) surface-associated motility, an appendage-independent form of movement. A. baumannii strain MAR002 possesses both twitching and surface-associated motility. In this study, we isolated spontaneous rifampin-resistant mutants of strain MAR002 in which point mutations in the rpoB gene were identified that resulted in an altered motility pattern. Transcriptomic analysis of mutants lacking twitching, surface-associated motility, or both led to the identification of deregulated genes within each motility phenotype, based on their level of expression and their biological function. Investigations of the corresponding knockout mutants revealed several genes involved in the motility of A. baumannii strain MAR002, including two involved in twitching (encoding a minor pilin subunit and an RND [resistance nodulation division] component), one in surface-associated motility (encoding an amino acid permease), and eight in both (encoding RND and ABC components, the energy transducer TonB, the porin OprD, the T6SS component TagF, an IclR transcriptional regulator, a PQQ-dependent sugar dehydrogenase, and a putative pectate lyase). Virulence assays showed the reduced pathogenicity of mutants with impairments in both types of motility or in surface-associated motility alone. By contrast, the virulence of twitching-affected mutants was not affected. These results shed light on the key role of surface-associated motility and the limited role of twitching in the pathogenicity of A. baumannii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordi Corral
- Departament De Genètica I Microbiologia, Facultat De Biociènces, Universitat Autònoma De Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - María Pérez-Varela
- Departament De Genètica I Microbiologia, Facultat De Biociènces, Universitat Autònoma De Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Miquel Sánchez-Osuna
- Departament De Genètica I Microbiologia, Facultat De Biociènces, Universitat Autònoma De Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pilar Cortés
- Departament De Genètica I Microbiologia, Facultat De Biociènces, Universitat Autònoma De Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jordi Barbé
- Departament De Genètica I Microbiologia, Facultat De Biociènces, Universitat Autònoma De Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jesús Aranda
- Departament De Genètica I Microbiologia, Facultat De Biociènces, Universitat Autònoma De Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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Novel Acinetobacter baumannii Bacteriophage Aristophanes Encoding Structural Polysaccharide Deacetylase. Viruses 2021; 13:v13091688. [PMID: 34578271 PMCID: PMC8471582 DOI: 10.3390/v13091688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Revised: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Acinetobacter baumannii appears to be one of the most crucial nosocomial pathogens. A possible component of antimicrobial therapy for infections caused by extremely drug-resistant A. baumannii strains may be specific lytic bacteriophages or phage-derived enzymes. In the present study, we observe the biological features, genomic organization, and phage–host interaction strategy of novel virulent bacteriophage Aristophanes isolated on A. baumannii strain having K26 capsular polysaccharide structure. According to phylogenetic analysis phage Aristophanes can be classified as a representative of a new distinct genus of the subfamily Beijerinckvirinae of the family Autographiviridae. This is the first reported A. baumannii phage carrying tailspike deacetylase, which caused O-acetylation of one of the K26 sugar residues.
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34
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Sørensen MCH, Vitt A, Neve H, Soverini M, Ahern SJ, Klumpp J, Brøndsted L. Campylobacter phages use hypermutable polyG tracts to create phenotypic diversity and evade bacterial resistance. Cell Rep 2021; 35:109214. [PMID: 34107245 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Revised: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Phase variation is a common mechanism for creating phenotypic heterogeneity of surface structures in bacteria important for niche adaptation. In Campylobacter, phase variation occurs by random variation in hypermutable homonucleotide 7-11 G (polyG) tracts. To elucidate how phages adapt to phase-variable hosts, we study Fletchervirus phages infecting Campylobacter dependent on a phase-variable receptor. Our data demonstrate that Fletcherviruses mimic their host and encode hypermutable polyG tracts, leading to phase-variable expression of two of four receptor-binding proteins. This creates phenotypically diverse phage populations, including a sub-population that infects the bacterial host when the phase-variable receptor is not expressed. Such population dynamics of both phage and host promote co-existence in a shared niche. Strikingly, we identify polyG tracts in more than 100 phage genera, infecting more than 70 bacterial species. Future experimental work may confirm phase variation as a widespread strategy for creating phenotypically diverse phage populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martine C Holst Sørensen
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 1870 Frederiksberg, Denmark.
| | - Amira Vitt
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 1870 Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Horst Neve
- Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Max-Rubner Institut, 24103 Kiel, Germany
| | - Matteo Soverini
- COPSAC, Copenhagen Prospective Studies on Asthma in Childhood, Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, University of Copenhagen, 2820 Gentofte, Denmark
| | - Stephen James Ahern
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 1870 Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Jochen Klumpp
- Institute for Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Lone Brøndsted
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 1870 Frederiksberg, Denmark
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35
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Novel Acinetobacter baumannii Myovirus TaPaz Encoding Two Tailspike Depolymerases: Characterization and Host-Recognition Strategy. Viruses 2021; 13:v13060978. [PMID: 34070371 PMCID: PMC8228797 DOI: 10.3390/v13060978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Revised: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Acinetobacter baumannii, one of the most significant nosocomial pathogens, is capable of producing structurally diverse capsular polysaccharides (CPSs) which are the primary receptors for A. baumannii bacteriophages encoding polysaccharide-degrading enzymes. To date, bacterial viruses specifically infecting A. baumannii strains belonging to more than ten various capsular types (K types) were isolated and characterized. In the present study, we investigate the biological properties, genomic organization, and virus-bacterial host interaction strategy of novel myovirus TaPaz isolated on the bacterial lawn of A. baumannii strain with a K47 capsular polysaccharide structure. The phage linear double-stranded DNA genome of 93,703 bp contains 178 open reading frames. Genes encoding two different tailspike depolymerases (TSDs) were identified in the phage genome. Recombinant TSDs were purified and tested against the collection of A. baumannii strains belonging to 56 different K types. One of the TSDs was demonstrated to be a specific glycosidase that cleaves the K47 CPS by the hydrolytic mechanism.
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36
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Phage φAB6-Borne Depolymerase Combats Acinetobacter baumannii Biofilm Formation and Infection. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 10:antibiotics10030279. [PMID: 33803296 PMCID: PMC7998257 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10030279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Revised: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Biofilm formation is one of the main causes of increased antibiotic resistance in Acinetobacter baumannii infections. Bacteriophages and their derivatives, such as tail proteins with depolymerase activity, have shown considerable potential as antibacterial or antivirulence agents against bacterial infections. Here, we gained insights into the activity of a capsular polysaccharide (CPS) depolymerase, derived from the tailspike protein (TSP) of φAB6 phage, to degrade A. baumannii biofilm in vitro. Recombinant TSP showed enzymatic activity and was able to significantly inhibit biofilm formation and degrade formed biofilms; as low as 0.78 ng, the inhibition zone can still be formed on the bacterial lawn. Additionally, TSP inhibited the colonization of A. baumannii on the surface of Foley catheter sections, indicating that it can be used to prevent the adhesion of A. baumannii to medical device surfaces. Transmission and scanning electron microscopy demonstrated membrane leakage of bacterial cells treated with TSP, resulting in cell death. The therapeutic effect of TSP in zebrafish was also evaluated and the results showed that the survival rate was significantly improved (80%) compared with that of the untreated control group (10%). Altogether, we show that TSP derived from φAB6 is expected to become a new antibiotic against multi-drug resistant A. baumannii and a biocontrol agent that prevents the formation of biofilms on medical devices.
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37
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Specific Interaction of Novel Friunavirus Phages Encoding Tailspike Depolymerases with Corresponding Acinetobacter baumannii Capsular Types. J Virol 2021; 95:JVI.01714-20. [PMID: 33268523 PMCID: PMC8092837 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01714-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Acinetobacter baumannii is one of the most clinically important nosocomial pathogens. The World Health Organisation refers it to its «critical priority» category to develop new strategies for effective therapy. This microorganism is capable of producing structurally diverse capsular polysaccharides (CPSs), which serve as primary receptors for A. baumannii bacteriophages carrying polysaccharide-depolymerasing enzymes. In this study, eight novel bacterial viruses that specifically infect A. baumannii strains belonging to K2/K93, K32, K37, K44, K48, K87, K89 and K116 capsular types were isolated and characterized. The overall genomic architecture demonstrated that these viruses are representatives of the Friunavirus genus of the family Autographiviridae The linear double-stranded DNA phage genomes of 41,105-42,402 bp share high nucleotide sequence identity, except for genes encoding structural depolymerases or tailspikes which determine the host specificity. Deletion mutants lacking N-terminal domains of tailspike proteins were cloned, expressed and purified. The structurally defined CPSs of the phage bacterial hosts were cleaved with the specific recombinant depolymerases, and the resultant oligosaccharides that corresponded to monomers or/and dimers of the CPS repeats (K-units) were isolated. Structures of the derived oligosaccharides were established by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. The data obtained showed that all depolymerases studied were glycosidases that cleave specifically the A. baumannii CPSs by the hydrolytic mechanism, in most cases, by the linkage between the K-units.IMPORTANCE Acinetobacter baumannii, a nonfermentative, Gram-negative, aerobic bacterium, is one of the most significant nosocomial pathogens. The pathogenicity of A. baumannii is based on the cooperative action of many factors, one of them being the production of capsular polysaccharides (CPSs) that surround bacterial cells with a thick protective layer. Polymorphism of the chromosomal capsule loci is responsible for the observed high structural diversity of the CPSs. In this study, we describe eight novel lytic phages which have different tailspike depolymerases (TSDs) determining the interaction of the viruses with corresponding A. baumannii capsular types (K-types). Moreover, we elucidate the structures of oligosaccharide products obtained by cleavage of the CPSs by the recombinant depolymerases. We believe that as the TSDs determine phage specificity, the diversity of their structures should be taken into consideration as selection criteria for inclusion of certain phage candidate to the cocktail designed to control A. baumannii with different K-types.
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38
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Knirel YA, Shneider MM, Popova AV, Kasimova AA, Senchenkova SN, Shashkov AS, Chizhov AO. Mechanisms of Acinetobacter baumannii Capsular Polysaccharide Cleavage by Phage Depolymerases. BIOCHEMISTRY (MOSCOW) 2021; 85:567-574. [PMID: 32571186 DOI: 10.1134/s0006297920050053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Aerobic gram-negative bacterium Acinetobacter baumannii has recently become one of the most relevant pathogens associated with hospital-acquired infections worldwide. A. baumannii produces a capsule around the cell, which represents a thick viscous layer of structurally variable capsular polysaccharide (CPS). The capsule protects the bacteria against unfavorable environmental factors and biological systems, including bacteriophages and host immune system. Many A. baumannii phages have structural depolymerases (tailspikes) that specifically recognize and digest bacterial CPS. In this work, we studied the interaction of tailspike proteins of four lytic depolymerase-carrying phages with A. baumannii CPS. Depolymerases of three bacteriophages (Fri1, AS12, and BS46) were identified as specific glycosidases that cleave the CPS of A. baumannii strains 28, 1432, and B05, respectively, by the hydrolytic mechanism. The gp54 depolymerase from bacteriophage AP22 was characterized as a polysaccharide lyase that cleaves the CPS of A. baumannii strain 1053 by β-elimination at hexuronic acid (ManNAcA) residues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y A Knirel
- Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russia.
| | - M M Shneider
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Moscow, 117997, Russia.,Institute of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, Smolensk State Medical University, Smolensk, 214019, Russia
| | - A V Popova
- Institute of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, Smolensk State Medical University, Smolensk, 214019, Russia.,Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (National Research University), Dolgoprudny, Moscow Region, 141701, Russia.,State Research Center for Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, Obolensk, Moscow Region, 142279, Russia
| | - A A Kasimova
- Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russia.,Higher Chemical College of the Russian Academy of Sciences, D. I. Mendeleev University of Chemical Technology of Russia, Moscow, 125047, Russia
| | - S N Senchenkova
- Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - A S Shashkov
- Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - A O Chizhov
- Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russia
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39
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Antibiotics Act with vB_AbaP_AGC01 Phage against Acinetobacter baumannii in Human Heat-Inactivated Plasma Blood and Galleria mellonella Models. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21124390. [PMID: 32575645 PMCID: PMC7352404 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21124390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Revised: 06/11/2020] [Accepted: 06/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Increasing multidrug resistance has led to renewed interest in phage-based therapy. A combination of the bacteriophages and antibiotics presents a promising approach enhancing the phage therapy effectiveness. First, phage candidates for therapy should be deeply characterized. Here we characterize the bacteriophage vB_AbaP_AGC01 that poses antibacterial activity against clinical Acinetobacter baumannii strains. Moreover, besides genomic and phenotypic analysis our study aims to analyze phage–antibiotic combination effectiveness with the use of ex vivo and in vivo models. The phage AGC01 efficiently adsorbs to A. baumannii cells and possesses a bacteriolytic lifecycle resulting in high production of progeny phages (317 ± 20 PFU × cell−1). The broad host range (50.27%, 93 out of 185 strains) against A. baumannii isolates and the inability of AGC01 to infect other bacterial species show its high specificity. Genomic analysis revealed a high similarity of the AGC01 genome sequence with that of the Friunavirus genus from a subfamily of Autographivirinae. The AGC01 is able to significantly reduce the A. baumannii cell count in a human heat-inactivated plasma blood model (HIP-B), both alone and in combination with antibiotics (gentamicin (GEN), ciprofloxacin (CIP), and meropenem (MER)). The synergistic action was observed when a combination of phage treatment with CIP or MER was used. The antimicrobial activity of AGC01 and phage-antibiotic combinations was confirmed using an in vivo larva model. This study shows the greatest increase in survival of G. mellonella larvae when the combination of phage (MOI = 1) and MER was used, which increased larval survival from 35% to 77%. Hence, AGC01 represents a novel candidate for phage therapy. Additionally, our study suggests that phages and antibiotics can act synergistically for greater antimicrobial effect when used as combination therapy.
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40
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A Tailspike with Exopolysaccharide Depolymerase Activity from a New Providencia stuartii Phage Makes Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria Susceptible to Serum-Mediated Killing. Appl Environ Microbiol 2020; 86:AEM.00073-20. [PMID: 32357999 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00073-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2020] [Accepted: 04/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Providencia stuartii is emerging as a significant drug-resistant nosocomial pathogen, which encourages the search for alternative therapies. Here, we have isolated Providencia stuartii phage Stuart, a novel podovirus infecting multidrug-resistant hospital isolates of this bacterium. Phage Stuart is a proposed member of a new Autographivirinae subfamily genus, with a 41,218-bp genome, direct 345-bp repeats at virion DNA ends, and limited sequence similarity of proteins to proteins in databases. Twelve out of the 52 predicted Stuart proteins are virion components. We found one to be a tailspike with depolymerase activity. The tailspike could form a highly thermostable oligomeric β-structure migrating close to the expected trimer in a nondenaturing gel. It appeared to be essential for the infection of three out of four P. stuartii hosts infected by phage Stuart. Moreover, it degraded the exopolysaccharide of relevant phage Stuart hosts, making the bacteria susceptible to serum killing. Prolonged exposure of a sensitive host to the tailspike did not cause the emergence of bacteria resistant to the phage or to serum killing, opposite to the prolonged exposure to the phage. This indicates that phage tail-associated depolymerases are attractive antivirulence agents that could complement the immune system in the fight with P. stuartii IMPORTANCE The pace at which multidrug-resistant strains emerge has been alarming. P. stuartii is an infrequent but relevant drug-resistant nosocomial pathogen causing local to systemic life-threatening infections. We propose an alternative approach to fight this bacterium based on the properties of phage tailspikes with depolymerase activity that degrade the surface bacterial polymers, making the bacteria susceptible to the immune system. Unlike antibiotics, phage tailspikes have narrow and specific substrate spectra, and by acting as antivirulent but not bactericidal agents they do not cause the selection of resistant bacteria.
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41
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Yuan Y, Li X, Wang L, Li G, Cong C, Li R, Cui H, Murtaza B, Xu Y. The endolysin of the Acinetobacter baumannii phage vB_AbaP_D2 shows broad antibacterial activity. Microb Biotechnol 2020; 14:403-418. [PMID: 32519416 PMCID: PMC7936296 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.13594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Revised: 04/22/2020] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The emergence and rapid spread of multidrug‐resistant bacteria has induced intense research for novel therapeutic approaches. In this study, the Acinetobacter baumannii bacteriophage D2 (vB_AbaP_D2) was isolated, characterized and sequenced. The endolysin of bacteriophage D2, namely Abtn‐4, contains an amphipathic helix and was found to have activity against multidrug‐resistant Gram‐negative strains. By more than 3 log units, A. baumannii were killed by Abtn‐4 (5 µM) in 2 h. In absence of outer membrane permeabilizers, Abtn‐4 exhibited broad antimicrobial activity against several Gram‐positive and Gram‐negative bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumonia, Enterococcus and Salmonella. Furthermore, Abtn‐4 had the ability to reduce biofilm formation. Interestingly, Abtn‐4 showed antimicrobial activity against phage‐resistant bacterial mutants. Based on these results, endolysin Abtn‐4 may be a promising candidate therapeutic agent for multidrug‐resistant bacterial infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuyu Yuan
- School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China
| | - Xiaoyu Li
- School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China.,Ministry of Education Center for Food Safety of Animal Origin, Dalian, China
| | - Lili Wang
- School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China.,Ministry of Education Center for Food Safety of Animal Origin, Dalian, China
| | - Gen Li
- School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China
| | - Cong Cong
- School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China
| | - Ruihua Li
- The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Huijing Cui
- School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China
| | - Bilal Murtaza
- School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China
| | - Yongping Xu
- School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China.,Ministry of Education Center for Food Safety of Animal Origin, Dalian, China
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42
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Liu J, Gao S, Dong Y, Lu C, Liu Y. Isolation and characterization of bacteriophages against virulent Aeromonas hydrophila. BMC Microbiol 2020; 20:141. [PMID: 32487015 PMCID: PMC7268745 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-020-01811-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2020] [Accepted: 05/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Aeromonas hydrophila is an important water-borne pathogen that leads to a great economic loss in aquaculture. Along with the abuse of antibiotics, drug-resistant strains rise rapidly. In addition, the biofilms formed by this bacterium limited the antibacterial effect of antibiotics. Bacteriophages have been attracting increasing attention as a potential alternative to antibiotics against bacterial infections. Results Five phages against pathogenic A. hydrophila, named N21, W3, G65, Y71 and Y81, were isolated. Morphological analysis by transmission electron microscopy revealed that phages N21, W3 and G65 belong to the family Myoviridae, while Y71 and Y81 belong to the Podoviridae. These phages were found to have broad host spectra, short latent periods and normal burst sizes. They were sensitive to high temperature but had a wide adaptability to the pH. In addition, the phages G65 and Y81 showed considerable bacterial killing effect and potential in preventing formation of A. hydrophila biofilm; and the phages G65, W3 and N21 were able to scavenge mature biofilm effectively. Phage treatments applied to the pathogenic A. hydrophila in mice model resulted in a significantly decreased bacterial loads in tissues. Conclusions Five A. hydrophila phages were isolated with broad host ranges, low latent periods, and wide pH and thermal tolerance. And the phages exhibited varying abilities in controlling A. hydrophila infection. This work presents promising data supporting the future use of phage therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Liu
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Shanshan Gao
- Sucheng District Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Station, Suqian, 223800, China
| | - Yuhao Dong
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Chengping Lu
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Yongjie Liu
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
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43
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Cheng M, Luo M, Xi H, Zhao Y, Le S, Chen LK, Tan D, Guan Y, Wang T, Han W, Wu N, Zhu T, Gu J. The characteristics and genome analysis of vB_ApiP_XC38, a novel phage infecting Acinetobacter pittii. Virus Genes 2020; 56:498-507. [PMID: 32449140 DOI: 10.1007/s11262-020-01766-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Acinetobacter pittii is an important pathogen causing nosocomial infection worldwide. In this study, a multidrug-resistant A. pittii ABC38 was used as host bacterium to isolate the lytic phage vB_ApiP_XC38. The biological characteristics of vB_ApiP_XC38 were studied and the genome was sequenced and analyzed. vB_ApiP_XC38 belonged to Podoviridae family. The phage had double-stranded genome, which comprised 79,328 bp with 39.58% G+C content displaying very low similarity (< 1% identity) with published genomes of other phages and bacteria. A total of 97 open reading frames (ORFs) were predicted and contained nucleotide metabolism and replication module, structural components module, and lysis module. The ANI, AAI, and phylogenetic analysis indicated that all phages were found distant from vB_ApiP_XC38. Altogether, morphological, genomics, and phylogenetic analysis suggest that vB_ApiP_XC38 is more likely a novel phage of A. pittii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengjun Cheng
- Shanghai Institute of Phage, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201508, China
| | - Man Luo
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, 130062, China
| | - Hengyu Xi
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, 130062, China
| | - Yunze Zhao
- Shanghai Institute of Phage, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201508, China
| | - Shuai Le
- Shanghai Institute of Phage, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201508, China.,Department of Microbiology, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Li-Kuang Chen
- Shanghai Institute of Phage, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201508, China
| | - Demeng Tan
- Shanghai Institute of Phage, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201508, China
| | - Yuan Guan
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, 130062, China
| | - Tianqi Wang
- College of Clinical Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Wenyu Han
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, 130062, China.,Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for the Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Disease and Zoonose, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Nannan Wu
- Shanghai Institute of Phage, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201508, China.
| | - Tongyu Zhu
- Shanghai Institute of Phage, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201508, China.
| | - Jingmin Gu
- Shanghai Institute of Phage, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201508, China. .,Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, 130062, China.
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44
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Chen Y, Li X, Wang S, Guan L, Li X, Hu D, Gao D, Song J, Chen H, Qian P. A Novel Tail-Associated O91-Specific Polysaccharide Depolymerase from a Podophage Reveals Lytic Efficacy of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli. Appl Environ Microbiol 2020; 86:e00145-20. [PMID: 32111587 PMCID: PMC7170472 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00145-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) strains are important zoonotic foodborne pathogens, causing diarrhea, hemorrhagic colitis, and life-threatening hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) in humans. However, antibiotic treatment of STEC infection is associated with an increased risk of HUS. Therefore, there is an urgent need for early and effective therapeutic strategies. Here, we isolated lytic T7-like STEC phage PHB19 and identified a novel O91-specific polysaccharide depolymerase (Dep6) in the C terminus of the PHB19 tailspike protein. Dep6 exhibited strong hydrolase activity across wide ranges of pH (pH 4 to 8) and temperature (20 to 60°C) and degraded polysaccharides on the surface of STEC strain HB10. In addition, both Dep6 and PHB19 degraded biofilms formed by STEC strain HB10. In a mouse STEC infection model, delayed Dep6 treatment (3 h postinfection) resulted in only 33% survival, compared with 83% survival when mice were treated simultaneously with infection. In comparison, pretreatment with Dep6 led to 100% survival compared with that of the control group. Surprisingly, a single PHB19 treatment resulted in 100% survival in all three treatment protocols. Moreover, a significant reduction in the levels of proinflammatory cytokines was observed at 24 h postinfection in Dep6- or PHB19-treated mice. These results demonstrated that Dep6 or PHB19 might be used as a potential therapeutic agent to prevent STEC infection.IMPORTANCE Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is an important foodborne pathogen worldwide. The Shiga-like toxin causes diarrhea, hemorrhagic colitis, and life-threatening hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) in humans. Although antibiotic therapy is still used for STEC infections, this approach may increase the risk of HUS. Phages or phage-derived depolymerases have been used to treat bacterial infections in animals and humans, as in the case of the "San Diego patient" treated with a phage cocktail. Here, we showed that phage PHB19 and its O91-specific polysaccharide depolymerase Dep6 degraded STEC biofilms and stripped the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from STEC strain HB10, which was subsequently killed by serum complement in vitro In a mouse model, PHB19 and Dep6 protected against STEC infection and caused a significant reduction in the levels of proinflammatory cytokines. This study reports the use of an O91-specific polysaccharide depolymerase for the treatment of STEC infection in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yibao Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xiangmin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Development of Veterinary Diagnostic Products, Ministry of Agriculture of the People's Republic of China, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- International Research Center for Animal Disease, Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Shuang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Lingyu Guan
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xinxin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Dayue Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Dongyang Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Jiaoyang Song
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Huanchun Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Development of Veterinary Diagnostic Products, Ministry of Agriculture of the People's Republic of China, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- International Research Center for Animal Disease, Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Ping Qian
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Development of Veterinary Diagnostic Products, Ministry of Agriculture of the People's Republic of China, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- International Research Center for Animal Disease, Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China, Wuhan, Hubei, China
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Loraine J, Heinz E, Soontarach R, Blackwell GA, Stabler RA, Voravuthikunchai SP, Srimanote P, Kiratisin P, Thomson NR, Taylor PW. Genomic and Phenotypic Analyses of Acinetobacter baumannii Isolates From Three Tertiary Care Hospitals in Thailand. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:548. [PMID: 32328045 PMCID: PMC7153491 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2019] [Accepted: 03/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic resistant strains of Acinetobacter baumannii are responsible for a large and increasing burden of nosocomial infections in Thailand and other countries of Southeast Asia. New approaches to their control and treatment are urgently needed and an attractive strategy is to remove the bacterial polysaccharide capsule, and thus the protection from the host's immune system. To examine phylogenetic relationships, distribution of capsule chemotypes, acquired antibiotic resistance determinants, susceptibility to complement and other traits associated with systemic infection, we sequenced 191 isolates from three tertiary referral hospitals in Thailand and used phenotypic assays to characterize key aspects of infectivity. Several distinct lineages were circulating in three hospitals and the majority belonged to global clonal group 2 (GC2). Very high levels of resistance to carbapenems and other front-line antibiotics were found, as were a number of widespread plasmid replicons. A high diversity of capsule genotypes was encountered, with only three of these (KL6, KL10, and KL47) showing more than 10% frequency. Almost 90% of GC2 isolates belonged to the most common capsule genotypes and were fully resistant to the bactericidal action of human serum complement, most likely protected by their polysaccharide capsule, which represents a key determinant of virulence for systemic infection. Our study further highlights the importance to develop therapeutic strategies to remove the polysaccharide capsule from extensively drug-resistant A. baumanii during the course of systemic infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Loraine
- School of Pharmacy, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Eva Heinz
- Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom.,Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | | | - Grace A Blackwell
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, United Kingdom.,European Bioinformatics Institute, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Hinxton, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Richard A Stabler
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Potjanee Srimanote
- Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Thammasat University, Pathumtanee, Thailand
| | | | - Nicholas R Thomson
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, United Kingdom.,London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Peter W Taylor
- School of Pharmacy, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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46
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Wyres KL, Cahill SM, Holt KE, Hall RM, Kenyon JJ. Identification of Acinetobacter baumannii loci for capsular polysaccharide (KL) and lipooligosaccharide outer core (OCL) synthesis in genome assemblies using curated reference databases compatible with Kaptive. Microb Genom 2020; 6:e000339. [PMID: 32118530 PMCID: PMC7200062 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.000339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2019] [Accepted: 01/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Multiply antibiotic-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii infections are a global public health concern and accurate tracking of the spread of specific lineages is needed. Variation in the composition and structure of capsular polysaccharide (CPS), a critical determinant of virulence and phage susceptibility, makes it an attractive epidemiological marker. The outer core (OC) of lipooligosaccharide also exhibits variation. To take better advantage of the untapped information available in whole genome sequences, we have created a curated reference database of 92 publicly available gene clusters at the locus encoding proteins responsible for biosynthesis and export of CPS (K locus), and a second database for 12 gene clusters at the locus for outer core biosynthesis (OC locus). Each entry has been assigned a unique KL or OCL number, and is fully annotated using a simple, transparent and standardized nomenclature. These databases are compatible with Kaptive, a tool for in silico typing of bacterial surface polysaccharide loci, and their utility was validated using (a) >630 assembled A. baumannii draft genomes for which the KL and OCL regions had been previously typed manually, and (b) 3386 A. baumannii genome assemblies downloaded from NCBI. Among the previously typed genomes, Kaptive was able to confidently assign KL and OCL types with 100 % accuracy. Among the genomes retrieved from NCBI, Kaptive detected known KL and OCL in 87 and 90 % of genomes, respectively, indicating that the majority of common KL and OCL types are captured within the databases; 13 of the 92 KL in the database were not detected in any publicly available whole genome assembly. The failure to assign a KL or OCL type may indicate incomplete or poor-quality genomes. However, further novel variants may remain to be documented. Combining outputs with multilocus sequence typing (Institut Pasteur scheme) revealed multiple KL and OCL types in collections of a single sequence type (ST) representing each of the two predominant globally distributed clones, ST1 of GC1 and ST2 of GC2, and in collections of other clones comprising >20 isolates each (ST10, ST25, and ST140), indicating extensive within-clone replacement of these loci. The databases are available at https://github.com/katholt/Kaptive and will be updated as further locus types become available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly L. Wyres
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Sarah M. Cahill
- Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Kathryn E. Holt
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Ruth M. Hall
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Johanna J. Kenyon
- Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
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47
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Knecht LE, Veljkovic M, Fieseler L. Diversity and Function of Phage Encoded Depolymerases. Front Microbiol 2020; 10:2949. [PMID: 31998258 PMCID: PMC6966330 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.02949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 149] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2019] [Accepted: 12/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophages of the Podoviridae family often exhibit so-called depolymerases as structural components of the virion. These enzymes appear as tail spike proteins (TSPs). After specific binding to capsular polysaccharides (CPS), exopolysaccharides (EPS) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of the host bacteria, polysaccharide-repeating units are specifically cleaved. Finally, the phage reaches the last barrier, the cell wall, injects its DNA, and infects the cell. Recently, similar enzymes from bacteriophages of the Ackermannviridae, Myoviridae, and Siphoviridae families were also described. In this mini-review the diversity and function of phage encoded CPS-, EPS-, and LPS-degrading depolymerases is summarized. The function of the enzymes is described in terms of substrate specificity and applications in biotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leandra E Knecht
- Institute of Food and Beverage Innovation, Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Wädenswil, Switzerland
| | - Marjan Veljkovic
- Institute of Food and Beverage Innovation, Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Wädenswil, Switzerland
| | - Lars Fieseler
- Institute of Food and Beverage Innovation, Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Wädenswil, Switzerland
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48
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Tan D, Zhang Y, Cheng M, Le S, Gu J, Bao J, Qin J, Guo X, Zhu T. Characterization of Klebsiella pneumoniae ST11 Isolates and Their Interactions with Lytic Phages. Viruses 2019; 11:v11111080. [PMID: 31752386 PMCID: PMC6893751 DOI: 10.3390/v11111080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2019] [Revised: 11/17/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The bacterial pathogen Klebsiella pneumoniae causes urinary tract infections in immunocompromised patients. Generally, the overuse of antibiotics contributes to the potential development and the spread of antibiotic resistance. In fact, certain strains of K. pneumoniae are becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics, making infection by these strains more difficult to treat. The use of bacteriophages to control pathogens may offer a non-antibiotic-based approach to treat multidrug-resistant (MDR) infections. However, a detailed understanding of phage–host interactions is crucial in order to explore the potential success of phage-therapy for treatment. In this study, we investigated the molecular epidemiology of nine carbapenemase-producing K. pneumoniae isolates from a local hospital in Shanghai, China. All strain isolates belong to sequence type 11 (ST11) and harbor the blaKPC-2 gene. The S1-PFGE (S1 nuclease pulsed field gel electrophoresis) pattern of the isolates did not show any relationship to the multilocus sequence typing (MLST) profiles. In addition, we characterized phage 117 and phage 31 and assessed the potential application of phage therapy in treating K. pneumoniae infections in vitro. The results of morphological and genomic analyses suggested that both phages are affiliated to the T7 virus genus of the Podoviridae family. We also explored phage–host interactions during growth in both planktonic cells and biofilms. The phages’ heterogeneous lytic capacities against K. pneumoniae strains were demonstrated experimentally. Subsequent culture and urine experiments with phage 117 and host Kp36 initially demonstrated a strong lytic activity of the phages. However, rapid regrowth was observed following the initial lysis which suggests that phage resistant mutants were selected in the host populations. Additionally, a phage cocktail (117 + 31) was prepared and investigated for antimicrobial activity. In Luria Broth (LB) cultures, we observed that the cocktail showed significantly higher antimicrobial activity than phage 117 alone, but this was not observed in urine samples. Together, the results demonstrate the potential therapeutic value of phages in treating K. pneumoniae urinary tract infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Demeng Tan
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai 201508, China (M.C.); (S.L.); (J.G.); (J.B.); (J.Q.); (X.G.)
- Correspondence: (D.T.); (T.Z.)
| | - Yiyuan Zhang
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai 201508, China (M.C.); (S.L.); (J.G.); (J.B.); (J.Q.); (X.G.)
| | - Mengjun Cheng
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai 201508, China (M.C.); (S.L.); (J.G.); (J.B.); (J.Q.); (X.G.)
| | - Shuai Le
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai 201508, China (M.C.); (S.L.); (J.G.); (J.B.); (J.Q.); (X.G.)
| | - Jingmin Gu
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai 201508, China (M.C.); (S.L.); (J.G.); (J.B.); (J.Q.); (X.G.)
| | - Juan Bao
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai 201508, China (M.C.); (S.L.); (J.G.); (J.B.); (J.Q.); (X.G.)
| | - Jinhong Qin
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai 201508, China (M.C.); (S.L.); (J.G.); (J.B.); (J.Q.); (X.G.)
- Institutes of Medical Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Xiaokui Guo
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai 201508, China (M.C.); (S.L.); (J.G.); (J.B.); (J.Q.); (X.G.)
- Institutes of Medical Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Tongyu Zhu
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai 201508, China (M.C.); (S.L.); (J.G.); (J.B.); (J.Q.); (X.G.)
- Correspondence: (D.T.); (T.Z.)
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49
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Kenyon JJ, Senchenkova SYN, Shashkov AS, Shneider MM, Popova AV, Knirel YA, Hall RM. K17 capsular polysaccharide produced by Acinetobacter baumannii isolate G7 contains an amide of 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-d-galacturonic acid with d-alanine. Int J Biol Macromol 2019; 144:857-862. [PMID: 31715229 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2019.09.163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2019] [Revised: 09/17/2019] [Accepted: 09/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The K17 capsular polysaccharide (CPS) produced by Acinetobacter baumannii G7, which carries the KL17 configuration at the capsule biosynthesis locus, was isolated and studied by chemical methods along with one- and two-dimensional 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy. Selective cleavage of the glycosidic linkage of a 2,4-diacetamido-2,4,6-trideoxy-d-glucose (d-QuiNAc4NAc) residue by (i) trifluoroacetic acid solvolysis or (ii) alkaline β-elimination (NaOH-NaBH4) of the 4-linked D-alanine amide of a 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-d-galacturonic acid residue (d-GalNAcA6DAla) yielded trisaccharides that were isolated by Fractogel TSK HW-40 gel-permeation chromatography and identified by using NMR spectroscopy and high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. The following structure was established for the trisaccharide repeat (K unit) of the CPS: →4)-α-d-GalpNAcA6dAla-(1→4)-α-d-GalpNAcA-(1→3)-β-d-QuipNAc4NAc-(1→ . The presence of the itrA1 gene coding for the initial glycosylphosphotransferase in the KL17 gene cluster established the first sugar of the K unit as d-QuipNAc4NAc. KL17 includes genes for three transferases that had been annotated previously as glycosyltransferases (Gtrs). As only two Gtrs are required for the K17 structure and one d-GalpNAcA residue is modified by a d-alanine amide, these assignments were re-assessed. One transferase was found to belong to the ATPgrasp_TupA protein family that includes d-alanine-d-alanine ligases, and thus was renamed Alt1 (alanine transferase). Alt1 represents a novel family that amidate the carboxyl group of d-GalpNAcA or d-GalpA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna J Kenyon
- Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia.
| | - Sof Ya N Senchenkova
- N.D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexander S Shashkov
- N.D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Mikhail M Shneider
- M. M. Shemyakin & Y. A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia; Institute of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, Smolensk State Medical University, Smolensk, Russia
| | - Anastasia V Popova
- Institute of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, Smolensk State Medical University, Smolensk, Russia; Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, Moscow Region, Russia; State Research Center for Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, Obolensk, Moscow Region, Russia
| | - Yuriy A Knirel
- N.D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Ruth M Hall
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
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50
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K2 Capsule Depolymerase Is Highly Stable, Is Refractory to Resistance, and Protects Larvae and Mice from Acinetobacter baumannii Sepsis. Appl Environ Microbiol 2019; 85:AEM.00934-19. [PMID: 31227554 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00934-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2019] [Accepted: 06/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Acinetobacter baumannii is emerging as a major nosocomial pathogen in intensive care units. The bacterial capsules are considered major virulence factors, and the particular A. baumannii capsular type K2 has been associated with high antibiotic resistance. In this study, we identified a K2 capsule-specific depolymerase in a bacteriophage tail spike C terminus, a fragment that was heterologously expressed, and its antivirulence properties were assessed by in vivo experiments. The K2 depolymerase is active under a broad range of environmental conditions and is highly thermostable, with a melting point (Tm ) at 67°C. In the caterpillar larva model, the K2 depolymerase protects larvae from bacterial infections, using either pretreatments or with single-enzyme injection after bacterial challenge, in a dose-dependent manner. In a mouse sepsis model, a single K2 depolymerase intraperitoneal injection of 50 μg is able to protect 60% of mice from an otherwise deadly infection, with a significant reduction in the proinflammatory cytokine profile. We showed that the enzyme makes bacterial cells fully susceptible to the host complement system killing effect. Moreover, the K2 depolymerase is highly refractory to resistance development, which makes these bacteriophage-derived capsular depolymerases useful antivirulence agents against multidrug-resistant A. baumannii infections.IMPORTANCE Acinetobacter baumannii is an important nosocomial pathogen resistant to many, and sometimes all, antibiotics. The A. baumannii K2 capsular type has been associated with elevated antibiotic resistance. The capsular depolymerase characterized here fits the new trend of alternative antibacterial agents needed against multidrug-resistant pathogens. They are highly specific, stable, and refractory to resistance, as they do not kill bacteria per se; instead, they remove bacterial surface polysaccharides, which diminish the bacterial virulence and expose them to the host immune system.
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