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Costa P, Pereira C, Romalde JL, Almeida A. A game of resistance: War between bacteria and phages and how phage cocktails can be the solution. Virology 2024; 599:110209. [PMID: 39186863 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2024.110209] [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: 05/29/2024] [Revised: 08/12/2024] [Accepted: 08/14/2024] [Indexed: 08/28/2024]
Abstract
While phages hold promise as an antibiotic alternative, they encounter significant challenges in combating bacterial infections, primarily due to the emergence of phage-resistant bacteria. Bacterial defence mechanisms like superinfection exclusion, CRISPR, and restriction-modification systems can hinder phage effectiveness. Innovative strategies, such as combining different phages into cocktails, have been explored to address these challenges. This review delves into these defence mechanisms and their impact at each stage of the infection cycle, their challenges, and the strategies phages have developed to counteract them. Additionally, we examine the role of phage cocktails in the evolving landscape of antibacterial treatments and discuss recent studies that highlight the effectiveness of diverse phage cocktails in targeting essential bacterial receptors and combating resistant strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Costa
- CESAM, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
| | - Carla Pereira
- CESAM, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
| | - Jesús L Romalde
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, CRETUS & CIBUS - Faculty of Biology, University of Santiago de Compostela, CP 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
| | - Adelaide Almeida
- CESAM, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
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2
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Shahana Shirin PM, Chandran A, Surabhi PS, Rathish RL, Rahila MP. In vitro antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity of phage cocktail against Mammaliicoccus sciuri, a causative agent of bovine mastitis. J DAIRY RES 2024:1-6. [PMID: 39188245 DOI: 10.1017/s0022029924000384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/28/2024]
Abstract
In this research paper the in vitro antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity of phage cocktail against the coagulase negative Mammaliicoccus sciuri was investigated. Three M. sciuri isolates obtained from clinical bovine mastitis samples were characterized and identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Bacteriophages with lytic activity against M. sciuri isolates were isolated from dairy farm effluents. Two typical phages were isolated using standard enrichment and plaque assay techniques, purified by polyethylene glycol precipitation, and morphologically characterized based on shape and size using transmission electron microscopy. This was followed by determination of host range using spot tests and stability to varying temperature, pH and UV treatment. The phage cocktail suppressed bacterial activity within 30 min of exposure. Crystal violet assay showed that the tested phages and their cocktail significantly reduced the biofilm biomass of all three M. sciuri strains compared to the untreated control in vitro within 24 h with a single dosing. Transmission electron micrography of the purified phage particle revealed an icosahedral head and a rigid contractile tail, characteristic of the class Caudoviricetes. The findings open new avenues in phage-based antimicrobial approaches for controlling contagious and teat skin opportunistic bacteria causing bovine mastitis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Archana Chandran
- Department of Dairy Microbiology, College of Dairy Science and Technology, Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Pookode, Wayanad, Kerala, India
| | | | - Ramachandran Latha Rathish
- Department of Veterinary Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Pookode, Wayanad, Kerala, India
| | - Mundakka Paramban Rahila
- Department of Dairy Chemistry, College of Dairy Science and Technology, Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Pookode, Wayanad, Kerala, India
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3
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Fang L, Ning J. Gut virome and diabetes: discovering links, exploring therapies. Arch Microbiol 2024; 206:346. [PMID: 38976078 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-024-04068-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2024] [Revised: 06/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024]
Abstract
This review offers a comprehensive analysis of the intricate relationship between the gut virome and diabetes, elucidating the mechanisms by which the virome engages with both human cells and the intestinal bacteriome. By examining a decade of scientific literature, we provide a detailed account of the distinct viral variations observed in type 1 diabetes (T1D) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Our synthesis reveals that the gut virome significantly influences the development of both diabetes types through its interactions, which indirectly modulate immune and inflammatory responses. In T1D, the focus is on eukaryotic viruses that stimulate the host's immune system, whereas T2D is characterized by a broader spectrum of altered phage diversities. Promisingly, in vitro and animal studies suggest fecal virome transplantation as a potential therapeutic strategy to alleviate symptoms of T2D and obesity. This study pioneers a holistic overview of the gut virome's role in T1D and T2D, its interplay with host immunity, and the innovative potential of fecal transplantation therapy in clinical diabetes management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lihua Fang
- Department of Endocrinology, Shenzhen Longhua District Central Hospital, Guanlan Road 187, Shenzhen, 518110, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Jie Ning
- Department of Endocrinology, Shenzhen Longhua District Central Hospital, Guanlan Road 187, Shenzhen, 518110, Guangdong Province, China.
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Zeng Y, Li P, Liu S, Shen M, Liu Y, Zhou X. Salmonella enteritidis acquires phage resistance through a point mutation in rfbD but loses some of its environmental adaptability. Vet Res 2024; 55:85. [PMID: 38970094 PMCID: PMC11227202 DOI: 10.1186/s13567-024-01341-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 07/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Phage therapy holds promise as an alternative to antibiotics for combating multidrug-resistant bacteria. However, host bacteria can quickly produce progeny that are resistant to phage infection. In this study, we investigated the mechanisms of bacterial resistance to phage infection. We found that Rsm1, a mutant strain of Salmonella enteritidis (S. enteritidis) sm140, exhibited resistance to phage Psm140, which was originally capable of lysing its host at sm140. Whole genome sequencing analysis revealed a single nucleotide mutation at position 520 (C → T) in the rfbD gene of Rsm1, resulting in broken lipopolysaccharides (LPS), which is caused by the replacement of CAG coding glutamine with a stop codon TAG. The knockout of rfbD in the sm140ΔrfbD strain caused a subsequent loss of sensitivity toward phages. Furthermore, the reintroduction of rfbD in Rsm1 restored phage sensitivity. Moreover, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of rfbD in 25 resistant strains revealed a high percentage mutation rate of 64% within the rfbD locus. We assessed the fitness of four bacteria strains and found that the acquisition of phage resistance resulted in slower bacterial growth, faster sedimentation velocity, and increased environmental sensitivity (pH, temperature, and antibiotic sensitivity). In short, bacteria mutants lose some of their abilities while gaining resistance to phage infection, which may be a general survival strategy of bacteria against phages. This study is the first to report phage resistance caused by rfbD mutation, providing a new perspective for the research on phage therapy and drug-resistant mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yukun Zeng
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Comparative Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Ping Li
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Comparative Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Shenglong Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Comparative Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Mangmang Shen
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Comparative Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Yuqing Liu
- Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan, 250100, China.
| | - Xin Zhou
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Comparative Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China.
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China.
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China.
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Lossouarn J, Beurrier E, Bouteau A, Moncaut E, Sir Silmane M, Portalier H, Zouari A, Cattoir V, Serror P, Petit MA. The virtue of training: extending phage host spectra against vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium strains using the Appelmans method. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2024; 68:e0143923. [PMID: 38591854 PMCID: PMC11210271 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01439-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Phage therapy has (re)emerged as a serious possibility for combating multidrug-resistant bacterial infections, including those caused by vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium strains. These opportunistic pathogens belong to a specific clonal complex 17, against which relatively few phages have been screened. We isolated a collection of 21 virulent phages growing on these vancomycin-resistant isolates. Each of these phages harbored a typical narrow plaquing host range, lysing at most 5 strains and covering together 10 strains of our panel of 14 clinical isolates. To enlarge the host spectrum of our phages, the Appelmans protocol was used. We mixed four out of our most complementary phages in a cocktail that we iteratively grew on eight naive strains from our panel, of which six were initially refractory to at least three of the combined phages. Fifteen successive passages permitted to significantly improve the lytic activity of the cocktail, from which phages with extended host ranges within the E. faecium species could be isolated. A single evolved phage able to kill up to 10 of the 14 initial E. faecium strains was obtained, and it barely infected nearby species. All evolved phages had acquired point mutations or a recombination event in the tail fiber genetic region, suggesting these genes might have driven phage evolution by contributing to their extended host spectra.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Lossouarn
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Elsa Beurrier
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Astrid Bouteau
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Elisabeth Moncaut
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Maria Sir Silmane
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Heïdi Portalier
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Asma Zouari
- CHU de Rennes, Service de Bactériologie-Hygiène Hospitalière et CNR de la Résistance aux Antibiotiques (laboratoire associé "Entérocoques"), Rennes, France
| | - Vincent Cattoir
- CHU de Rennes, Service de Bactériologie-Hygiène Hospitalière et CNR de la Résistance aux Antibiotiques (laboratoire associé "Entérocoques"), Rennes, France
- Université de Rennes, INSERM, UMR_S1230 BRM, Rennes, France
| | - Pascale Serror
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Marie-Agnès Petit
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, Jouy-en-Josas, France
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He P, Cao F, Qu Q, Geng H, Yang X, Xu T, Wang R, Jia X, Lu M, Zeng P, Luan G. Host range expansion of Acinetobacter phage vB_Ab4_Hep4 driven by a spontaneous tail tubular mutation. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2024; 14:1301089. [PMID: 38435308 PMCID: PMC10904470 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1301089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophages (phages) represent promising alternative treatments against multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (MDRAB) infections. The application of phages as antibacterial agents is limited by their generally narrow host ranges, so changing or expanding the host ranges of phages is beneficial for phage therapy. Multiple studies have identified that phage tail fiber protein mediates the recognition and binding to the host as receptor binding protein in phage infection. However, the tail tubular-dependent host specificity of phages has not been studied well. In this study, we isolated and characterized a novel lytic phage, vB_Ab4_Hep4, specifically infecting MDRAB strains. Meanwhile, we identified a spontaneous mutant of the phage, vB_Ab4_Hep4-M, which revealed an expanded host range compared to the wild-type phage. A single mutation of G to C was detected in the gene encoding the phage tail tubular protein B and thus resulted in an aspartate to histidine change. We further demonstrated that the host range expansion of the phage mutant is driven by the spontaneous mutation of guanine to cytosine using expressed tail tubular protein B. Moreover, we established that the bacterial capsule is the receptor for phage Abp4 and Abp4-M by identifying mutant genes in phage-resistant strains. In conclusion, our study provided a detailed description of phage vB_Ab4_Hep4 and revealed the tail tubular-dependent host specificity in A. baumannii phages, which may provide new insights into extending the host ranges of phages by gene-modifying tail tubular proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Penggang He
- West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Feng Cao
- Chengdu Phagetimes Biotech Co. Ltd, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Qianyu Qu
- West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Huaixin Geng
- Non-coding RNA and Drug Discovery Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Xin Yang
- Non-coding RNA and Drug Discovery Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Tong Xu
- Chengdu Phagetimes Biotech Co. Ltd, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Rui Wang
- Non-coding RNA and Drug Discovery Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Xu Jia
- Non-coding RNA and Drug Discovery Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Mao Lu
- Department of Dermatovenereology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Peibin Zeng
- West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Guangxin Luan
- Non-coding RNA and Drug Discovery Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
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7
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Burke KA, Urick CD, Mzhavia N, Nikolich MP, Filippov AA. Correlation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Phage Resistance with the Numbers and Types of Antiphage Systems. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1424. [PMID: 38338703 PMCID: PMC10855318 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25031424] [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: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Phage therapeutics offer a potentially powerful approach for combating multidrug-resistant bacterial infections. However, to be effective, phage therapy must overcome existing and developing phage resistance. While phage cocktails can reduce this risk by targeting multiple receptors in a single therapeutic, bacteria have mechanisms of resistance beyond receptor modification. A rapidly growing body of knowledge describes a broad and varied arsenal of antiphage systems encoded by bacteria to counter phage infection. We sought to understand the types and frequencies of antiphage systems present in a highly diverse panel of Pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical isolates utilized to characterize novel antibacterials. Using the web-server tool PADLOC (prokaryotic antiviral defense locator), putative antiphage systems were identified in these P. aeruginosa clinical isolates based on sequence homology to a validated and curated catalog of known defense systems. Coupling this host bacterium sequence analysis with host range data for 70 phages, we observed a correlation between existing phage resistance and the presence of higher numbers of antiphage systems in bacterial genomes. We were also able to identify antiphage systems that were more prevalent in highly phage-resistant P. aeruginosa strains, suggesting their importance in conferring resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Andrey A. Filippov
- Wound Infections Department, Bacterial Diseases Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA; (K.A.B.); (C.D.U.); (N.M.); (M.P.N.)
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8
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Hammond LR, White ML, Eswara PJ. Probing Bacterial Cell Division and Cell Envelope Biogenesis with Live-Cell Fluorescence Microscopy. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2727:205-214. [PMID: 37815719 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3491-2_16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/11/2023]
Abstract
The development of advanced microscopy techniques has ushered in a new era of research as it helps understand biological processes on a deeper, mechanistic, and molecular level like never before. Live-cell fluorescence microscopy has importantly allowed us to visualize subcellular protein localization and incorporation of various fluorophores compatible with living cells in real time. As such, this technique offers valuable insights at the single-cell level and enables us to monitor phenotypic differences that were easily overlooked at a population level. One area of research that has benefited greatly from these advances is the study of the bacterial cell envelope biogenesis and cell division process. In this report, we provide detailed protocols, optimized in our lab, for imaging these processes in the Gram-positive organisms Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren R Hammond
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Maria L White
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Prahathees J Eswara
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA.
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9
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Concha-Eloko R, Barberán-Martínez P, Sanjuán R, Domingo-Calap P. Broad-range capsule-dependent lytic Sugarlandvirus against Klebsiella sp. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0429822. [PMID: 37882584 PMCID: PMC10714931 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.04298-22] [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: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE The emergence of multi-drug resistant bacteria is a global health problem. Among them, Klebsiella pneumoniae is considered a high-priority pathogen, making it necessary to develop new therapeutic tools to reduce the bacterial burden in an effective and sustainable manner. Phages, bacterial viruses, are very promising tools. However, phages are highy specific, rendering large-scale therapeutics costly to implement. This is especially certain in Klebsiella, a capsular bacterium in which phages have been shown to be capsular type dependent, infecting one or a few capsular types through specific enzymes called depolymerases. In this study, we have isolated and characterized novel phages with lytic ability against bacteria from a wide variety of capsular types, representing the Klebsiella phages with the widest range of infection described. Remarkably, these broad-range phages showed capsule dependency, despite the absence of depolymerases in their genomes, implying that infectivity could be governed by alternative mechanisms yet to be uncovered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robby Concha-Eloko
- Instituto de Biología Integrativa de Sistemas, Universitat de València-CSIC, Paterna, Spain
| | | | - Rafael Sanjuán
- Instituto de Biología Integrativa de Sistemas, Universitat de València-CSIC, Paterna, Spain
| | - Pilar Domingo-Calap
- Instituto de Biología Integrativa de Sistemas, Universitat de València-CSIC, Paterna, Spain
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10
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Xu Z, Ding Z, Shi L, Xie Y, Zhang Y, Sao S, Wang Q, Liu Q. Design combinations of evolved phage and antibiotic for antibacterial guided by analyzing the phage resistance of poorly antimicrobial phage. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0095823. [PMID: 37707457 PMCID: PMC10580904 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00958-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Although antibiotics are the primary method against bacterial infections, the rapid emergence of antibiotic resistance has forced interest in alternative antimicrobial strategies. Phage has been considered a new biological antimicrobial agent due to its high effectiveness in treating bacterial infections. However, the applications of phage therapy have been limited by the quick development of phage-resistant bacteria. Therefore, more effective phage treatment strategies need to be explored guided by characterizing phage-resistant mutants. In this study, Pseudomonas plecoglossicida phage vB_PpS_SYP was isolated from the sewage but exhibited weak antibacterial activity caused by phage-resistant bacteria. Phage-resistant mutants were isolated and their whole genomes were analyzed for differences. The results showed that mutations in glycosyltransferase family 1 (GT-1) and hypothetical outer membrane protein (homP) led to bacterial phage resistance. The GT-1 mutants had lower biofilm biomass and higher antibiotic sensitivity than wild-type strain. Phage SYP evolved a broader host range and improved antimicrobial efficacy to infect homP mutants. Therefore, we designed a strategy for combined antibiotic and evolved phage inhibition driven by the two phage-resistant mutants. The results showed that the combination was more effective against bacteria than either antibiotics or phage alone. Our findings presented a novel approach to utilizing poorly antimicrobial phages by characterizing their phage-resistant mutants, with the potential to be expanded to include phage therapy for a variety of pathogens. IMPORTANCE The rapid emergence of antibiotic resistance renews interest in phage therapy. However, the lack of efficient phages against bacteria and the emergence of phage resistance impaired the efficiency of phage therapy. In this study, the isolated Pseudomonas plecoglossicida phage exhibited poor antibacterial capacity and was not available for phage therapy. Analysis of phage-resistant mutants guided the design of antibacterial strategies for the combination of antibiotics with evolved phages. The combination has a good antibacterial effect compared to the original phage. Our findings facilitate ideas for the development of antimicrobial-incapable phage, which have the potential to be applied to the phage treatment of other pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenhe Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Zihan Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Lijia Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - YuZhen Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuanxing Zhang
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Maricultured Animal Vaccines, Shanghai, China
| | - Shuai Sao
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Maricultured Animal Vaccines, Shanghai, China
| | - Qiyao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Maricultured Animal Vaccines, Shanghai, China
| | - Qin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Maricultured Animal Vaccines, Shanghai, China
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11
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Schwartz DA, Shoemaker WR, Măgălie A, Weitz JS, Lennon JT. Bacteria-phage coevolution with a seed bank. THE ISME JOURNAL 2023:10.1038/s41396-023-01449-2. [PMID: 37286738 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-023-01449-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Dormancy is an adaptation to living in fluctuating environments. It allows individuals to enter a reversible state of reduced metabolic activity when challenged by unfavorable conditions. Dormancy can also influence species interactions by providing organisms with a refuge from predators and parasites. Here we test the hypothesis that, by generating a seed bank of protected individuals, dormancy can modify the patterns and processes of antagonistic coevolution. We conducted a factorially designed experiment where we passaged a bacterial host (Bacillus subtilis) and its phage (SPO1) in the presence versus absence of a seed bank consisting of dormant endospores. Owing in part to the inability of phages to attach to spores, seed banks stabilized population dynamics and resulted in minimum host densities that were 30-fold higher compared to bacteria that were unable to engage in dormancy. By supplying a refuge to phage-sensitive strains, we show that seed banks retained phenotypic diversity that was otherwise lost to selection. Dormancy also stored genetic diversity. After characterizing allelic variation with pooled population sequencing, we found that seed banks retained twice as many host genes with mutations, whether phages were present or not. Based on mutational trajectories over the course of the experiment, we demonstrate that seed banks can dampen bacteria-phage coevolution. Not only does dormancy create structure and memory that buffers populations against environmental fluctuations, it also modifies species interactions in ways that can feed back onto the eco-evolutionary dynamics of microbial communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel A Schwartz
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, IN, USA
| | - William R Shoemaker
- The Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), Trieste, Italy
| | - Andreea Măgălie
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Quantitative Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Joshua S Weitz
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
- School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Institut de Biologie, École Normale Supérieure, Paris, France
| | - Jay T Lennon
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, IN, USA.
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12
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Yuan X, Huang Z, Zhu Z, Zhang J, Wu Q, Xue L, Wang J, Ding Y. Recent advances in phage defense systems and potential overcoming strategies. Biotechnol Adv 2023; 65:108152. [PMID: 37037289 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2023.108152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Revised: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/12/2023]
Abstract
Bacteriophages are effective in the prevention and control of bacteria, and many phage products have been permitted and applied in the field. Because bacteriophages are expected to replace other antimicrobial agents like antibiotics, the antibacterial effect of bacteriophage has attracted widespread attention. Recently, the diversified defense systems discovered in the target host have become potential threats to the continued effective application of phages. Therefore, a systematic summary and in-depth illustration of the interaction between phages and bacteria is conducive to the development of this biological control approach. In this review, we introduce different defense systems in bacteria against phages and emphasize newly discovered defense mechanisms in recent years. Additionally, we draw attention to the striking resemblance between defense system genes and antibiotic resistance genes, which raises concerns about the potential transfer of phage defense systems within bacterial populations and its future impact on phage efficacy. Thus, attention should be given to the effects of phage defense genes in practical applications. This article is not exhaustive, but strategies to overcome phage defense systems are also discussed to further promote more efficient use of phages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoming Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiomics and Precision Application, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Safety and Health, Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510070, China; Department of Food Science & Engineering, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Zhichao Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiomics and Precision Application, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Safety and Health, Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510070, China; Department of Food Science & Engineering, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Zhenjun Zhu
- Department of Food Science & Engineering, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Jumei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiomics and Precision Application, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Safety and Health, Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510070, China
| | - Qingping Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiomics and Precision Application, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Safety and Health, Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510070, China
| | - Liang Xue
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiomics and Precision Application, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Safety and Health, Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510070, China
| | - Juan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiomics and Precision Application, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Safety and Health, Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510070, China; College of Food Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510432, China.
| | - Yu Ding
- Department of Food Science & Engineering, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.
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13
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Oyejobi GK, Zhang X, Xiong D, Ogolla F, Xue H, Wei H. Phage-bacterial evolutionary interactions: experimental models and complications. Crit Rev Microbiol 2023; 49:283-296. [PMID: 35358006 DOI: 10.1080/1040841x.2022.2052793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Phage treatment of bacterial infections has offered some hope even as the crisis of antimicrobial resistance continues to be on the rise. However, bacterial resistance to phage is another looming challenge capable of undermining the effectiveness of phage therapy. Moreover, the consideration of including phage therapy in modern medicine calls for more careful research around every aspect of phage study. In an attempt to adequately prepare for the events of phage resistance, many studies have attempted to experimentally evolve phage resistance in different bacterial strains, as well as train phages to evolve counter-infectivity of resistant bacterial mutants, in view of answering such questions as coevolutionary dynamics between phage and bacteria, mechanisms of phage resistance, fitness costs of phage resistance on bacteria, etc. In this review, we summarised many such studies and by careful examination, highlighted critical issues to the outcome of phage therapy. We also discuss the insufficiency of many of these in vitro studies to represent actual disease conditions during phage application, alongside other complications that exist in phage-bacterial evolutionary interactions. Conclusively, we present the exploitation of phage-bacterial interactions for successful infection managements, as well as some future perspectives to direct phage research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greater Kayode Oyejobi
- Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China.,International College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Department of Microbiology, Osun State University, Osogbo, Nigeria.,Organization of African Academic Doctors, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Xiaoxu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China.,International College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Dongyan Xiong
- Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China.,International College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Faith Ogolla
- Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China.,International College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Organization of African Academic Doctors, Nairobi, Kenya.,Sino-Africa Joint Research Center, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Heng Xue
- Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China.,International College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hongping Wei
- Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China.,Sino-Africa Joint Research Center, Nairobi, Kenya
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14
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Sun L, You J, Li D, Zhang Z, Qin X, Pang W, Li P, Han Q, Li Y, Huang Z, Zhang X, Gong M, Yang H. Variants of a putative baseplate wedge protein extend the host range of Pseudomonas phage K8. MICROBIOME 2023; 11:18. [PMID: 36721246 PMCID: PMC9887876 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-022-01459-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/31/2022] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Narrow host range is a major limitation for phage applications, but phages can evolve expanded host range through adaptations in the receptor-binding proteins. RESULTS Here, we report that Pseudomonas phage K8 can evolve broader host range and higher killing efficiency at the cost of virion stability. Phage K8 host range mutant K8-T239A carries a mutant version of the putative baseplate wedge protein GP075, termed GP075m. While phage K8 adsorbs to hosts via the O-specific antigen of bacterial LPS, phage K8-T239A uses GP075m to also bind the bacterial core oligosaccharide, enabling infection of bacterial strains resistant to K8 infection due to modified O-specific antigens. This mutation in GP075 also alters inter-protein interactions among phage proteins, and reduces the stability of phage particles to environmental stressors like heat, acidity, and alkalinity. We find that a variety of mutations in gp075 are widespread in K8 populations, and that the gp075-like genes are widely distributed among the domains of life. CONCLUSION Our data show that a typical life history tradeoff occurs between the stability and the host range in the evolution of phage K8. Reservoirs of viral gene variants may be widely present in phage communities, allowing phages to rapidly adapt to any emerging environmental stressors. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Sun
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology of the Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin, 300457, China
| | - Jiajia You
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology of the Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin, 300457, China
| | - Donghang Li
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology of the Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin, 300457, China
| | - Zhiqiang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology of the Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin, 300457, China
| | - Xuying Qin
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology of the Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin, 300457, China
| | - Wenjing Pang
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology of the Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin, 300457, China
| | - Peize Li
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology of the Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin, 300457, China
| | - Qingzhu Han
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology of the Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin, 300457, China
| | - Yueying Li
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology of the Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin, 300457, China
| | - Zhiwei Huang
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology of the Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin, 300457, China
| | - Xixi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology of the Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin, 300457, China
| | | | - Hongjiang Yang
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology of the Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin, 300457, China.
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15
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Pardo-Freire M, Domingo-Calap P. Phages and Nanotechnology: New Insights against Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria. BIODESIGN RESEARCH 2023; 5:0004. [PMID: 37849463 PMCID: PMC10521656 DOI: 10.34133/bdr.0004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacterial infections are a major threat to the human healthcare system worldwide, as antibiotics are becoming less effective due to the emergence of multidrug-resistant strains. Therefore, there is a need to explore nontraditional antimicrobial alternatives to support rapid interventions and combat the spread of pathogenic bacteria. New nonantibiotic approaches are being developed, many of them at the interface of physics, nanotechnology, and microbiology. While physical factors (e.g., pressure, temperature, and ultraviolet light) are typically used in the sterilization process, nanoparticles and phages (bacterial viruses) are also applied to combat pathogenic bacteria. Particularly, phage-based therapies are rising due to the unparalleled specificity and high bactericidal activity of phages. Despite the success of phages mostly as compassionate use in clinical cases, some drawbacks need to be addressed, mainly related to their stability, bioavailability, and systemic administration. Combining phages with nanoparticles can improve their performance in vivo. Thus, the combination of nanotechnology and phages might provide tools for the rapid and accurate detection of bacteria in biological samples (diagnosis and typing), and the development of antimicrobials that combine the selectivity of phages with the efficacy of targeted therapy, such as photothermal ablation or photodynamic therapies. In this review, we aim to provide an overview of how phage-based nanotechnology represents a step forward in the fight against multidrug-resistant bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Pardo-Freire
- Institute for Integrative Systems Biology, I2SysBio, Universitat de València-CSIC, 46980 Paterna, Spain
| | - Pilar Domingo-Calap
- Institute for Integrative Systems Biology, I2SysBio, Universitat de València-CSIC, 46980 Paterna, Spain
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16
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Taslem Mourosi J, Awe A, Guo W, Batra H, Ganesh H, Wu X, Zhu J. Understanding Bacteriophage Tail Fiber Interaction with Host Surface Receptor: The Key "Blueprint" for Reprogramming Phage Host Range. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:12146. [PMID: 36292999 PMCID: PMC9603124 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232012146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Revised: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophages (phages), as natural antibacterial agents, are being rediscovered because of the growing threat of multi- and pan-drug-resistant bacterial pathogens globally. However, with an estimated 1031 phages on the planet, finding the right phage to recognize a specific bacterial host is like looking for a needle in a trillion haystacks. The host range of a phage is primarily determined by phage tail fibers (or spikes), which initially mediate reversible and specific recognition and adsorption by susceptible bacteria. Recent significant advances at single-molecule and atomic levels have begun to unravel the structural organization of tail fibers and underlying mechanisms of phage-host interactions. Here, we discuss the molecular mechanisms and models of the tail fibers of the well-characterized T4 phage's interaction with host surface receptors. Structure-function knowledge of tail fibers will pave the way for reprogramming phage host range and will bring future benefits through more-effective phage therapy in medicine. Furthermore, the design strategies of tail fiber engineering are briefly summarized, including machine-learning-assisted engineering inspired by the increasingly enormous amount of phage genetic information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jarin Taslem Mourosi
- Bacteriophage Medical Research Center, Department of Biology, The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC 20064, USA
| | - Ayobami Awe
- Bacteriophage Medical Research Center, Department of Biology, The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC 20064, USA
| | - Wenzheng Guo
- Bacteriophage Medical Research Center, Department of Biology, The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC 20064, USA
| | - Himanshu Batra
- Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Harrish Ganesh
- VCU Life Sciences, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USA
| | - Xiaorong Wu
- Bacteriophage Medical Research Center, Department of Biology, The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC 20064, USA
| | - Jingen Zhu
- Bacteriophage Medical Research Center, Department of Biology, The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC 20064, USA
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17
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Liu S, Hon K, Bouras GS, Psaltis AJ, Shearwin K, Wormald PJ, Vreugde S. APTC-C-SA01: A Novel Bacteriophage Cocktail Targeting Staphylococcus aureus and MRSA Biofilms. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23116116. [PMID: 35682794 PMCID: PMC9181636 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23116116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The high infection and mortality rate of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) necessitates the urgent development of new treatment strategies. Bacteriophages (phages) have several advantages compared to antibiotics for the treatment of multi-drug-resistant bacterial infections, and thus provide a promising alternative to antibiotics. Here, S. aureus phages were isolated from patients and environmental sources. Phages were characterized for stability, morphology and genomic sequence and their bactericidal activity against the biofilm form of methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) and MRSA was investigated. Four S. aureus phages were isolated and tested against 51 MSSA and MRSA clinical isolates and reference strains. The phages had a broad host range of 82−94% individually and of >98% when combined and could significantly reduce the viability of S. aureus biofilms. The phages had a latent period of ≤20 min and burst size of >11 plaque forming units (PFU)/infected cell. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) identified phages belonging to the family of Myoviridae. Genomic sequencing indicated the lytic nature of all four phages, with no identified resistance or virulence genes. The 4 phages showed a high complementarity with 49/51 strains (96%) sensitive to at least 2/4 phages tested. Furthermore, the frequency of bacteriophage insensitive mutant (BIM) generation was lower when the phages were combined into the phage cocktail APTC-C-SA01 than for bacteria exposed to each of the phages alone. In conclusion, APTC-C-SA01, containing four lytic S. aureus phages has the potential for further development as a treatment against MSSA and MRSA infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sha Liu
- Department of Surgery-Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Basil Hetzel Institute for Translational Health Research, Central Adelaide Local Health Network, Woodville, SA 5011, Australia; (S.L.); (K.H.); (G.S.B.); (A.J.P.); (P.-J.W.)
- Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
| | - Karen Hon
- Department of Surgery-Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Basil Hetzel Institute for Translational Health Research, Central Adelaide Local Health Network, Woodville, SA 5011, Australia; (S.L.); (K.H.); (G.S.B.); (A.J.P.); (P.-J.W.)
- Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
| | - George Spyro Bouras
- Department of Surgery-Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Basil Hetzel Institute for Translational Health Research, Central Adelaide Local Health Network, Woodville, SA 5011, Australia; (S.L.); (K.H.); (G.S.B.); (A.J.P.); (P.-J.W.)
- Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
| | - Alkis James Psaltis
- Department of Surgery-Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Basil Hetzel Institute for Translational Health Research, Central Adelaide Local Health Network, Woodville, SA 5011, Australia; (S.L.); (K.H.); (G.S.B.); (A.J.P.); (P.-J.W.)
- Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
| | - Keith Shearwin
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia;
| | - Peter-John Wormald
- Department of Surgery-Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Basil Hetzel Institute for Translational Health Research, Central Adelaide Local Health Network, Woodville, SA 5011, Australia; (S.L.); (K.H.); (G.S.B.); (A.J.P.); (P.-J.W.)
- Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
| | - Sarah Vreugde
- Department of Surgery-Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Basil Hetzel Institute for Translational Health Research, Central Adelaide Local Health Network, Woodville, SA 5011, Australia; (S.L.); (K.H.); (G.S.B.); (A.J.P.); (P.-J.W.)
- Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +61-8-8222-6928
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18
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Staes I, Bäcker LE, Simoens K, De Winter K, Marolt G, Cenens W, Wolput S, Vazquez AR, Goos P, Lavigne R, Bernaerts K, Aertsen A. Superinfection exclusion factors drive a history-dependent switch from vertical to horizontal phage transmission. Cell Rep 2022; 39:110804. [PMID: 35545039 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110804] [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: 10/22/2021] [Revised: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Temperate bacterial viruses are commonly thought to favor vertical (lysogenic) transmission over horizontal (lytic) transmission when the virion-to-host-cell ratio is high and available host cells become scarce. In P22-infected Salmonella Typhimurium populations, however, we find that host subpopulations become lytically consumed despite high phage-to-host ratios that would normally favor lysogeny. These subpopulations originate from the proliferation of P22-free siblings that spawn off from P22-carrier cells from which they cytoplasmically inherit P22-borne superinfection exclusion factors (SEFs). In fact, we demonstrate that the gradual dilution of these SEFs in the growing subpopulation of P22-free siblings restricts the number of incoming phages, thereby imposing the perception of a low phage-to-host ratio that favors lytic development. Although their role has so far been neglected, our data indicate that phage-borne SEFs can spur complex infection dynamics and a history-dependent switch from vertical to horizontal transmission in the face of host-cell scarcity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ines Staes
- Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 23 - bus 2457, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Leonard E Bäcker
- Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 23 - bus 2457, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Kenneth Simoens
- Department of Chemical Engineering- (Bio)chemical Reactor Engineering and Safety, Faculty of Engineering, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Kjerstin De Winter
- Department of Chemical Engineering- (Bio)chemical Reactor Engineering and Safety, Faculty of Engineering, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Gasper Marolt
- Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 23 - bus 2457, 3001 Leuven, Belgium; Department of Chemical Engineering- (Bio)chemical Reactor Engineering and Safety, Faculty of Engineering, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - William Cenens
- Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 23 - bus 2457, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sanne Wolput
- Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 23 - bus 2457, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Alan R Vazquez
- Department of Biosystems, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Peter Goos
- Department of Biosystems, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Department of Engineering Management, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Rob Lavigne
- Department of Biosystems, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Kristel Bernaerts
- Department of Chemical Engineering- (Bio)chemical Reactor Engineering and Safety, Faculty of Engineering, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Abram Aertsen
- Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 23 - bus 2457, 3001 Leuven, Belgium.
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19
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Tzipilevich E, Pollak‐Fiyaksel O, Shraiteh B, Ben‐Yehuda S. Bacteria elicit a phage tolerance response subsequent to infection of their neighbors. EMBO J 2022; 41:e109247. [PMID: 34878184 PMCID: PMC8804946 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2021109247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Appearance of plaques on a bacterial lawn is a sign of successive rounds of bacteriophage infection. Yet, mechanisms evolved by bacteria to limit plaque spread have been hardly explored. Here, we investigated the dynamics of plaque development by lytic phages infecting the bacterium Bacillus subtilis. We report that plaque expansion is followed by a constriction phase owing to bacterial growth into the plaque zone. This phenomenon exposed an adaptive process, herein termed "phage tolerance response", elicited by non-infected bacteria upon sensing infection of their neighbors. The temporary phage tolerance is executed by the stress-response RNA polymerase sigma factor σX (SigX). Artificial expression of SigX prior to phage attack largely eliminates infection. SigX tolerance is primarily conferred by activation of the dlt operon, encoding enzymes that catalyze D-alanylation of cell wall teichoic acid polymers, the major attachment sites for phages infecting Gram-positive bacteria. D-alanylation impedes phage binding and hence infection, thus enabling the uninfected bacteria to form a protective shield opposing phage spread.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elhanan Tzipilevich
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular GeneticsInstitute for Medical Research Israel‐Canada (IMRIC)The Hebrew University‐Hadassah Medical SchoolThe Hebrew University of JerusalemJerusalemIsrael
- Present address:
Department of Biology and Howard Hughes Medical InstituteDuke UniversityDurhamNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Osher Pollak‐Fiyaksel
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular GeneticsInstitute for Medical Research Israel‐Canada (IMRIC)The Hebrew University‐Hadassah Medical SchoolThe Hebrew University of JerusalemJerusalemIsrael
| | - Bushra Shraiteh
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular GeneticsInstitute for Medical Research Israel‐Canada (IMRIC)The Hebrew University‐Hadassah Medical SchoolThe Hebrew University of JerusalemJerusalemIsrael
| | - Sigal Ben‐Yehuda
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular GeneticsInstitute for Medical Research Israel‐Canada (IMRIC)The Hebrew University‐Hadassah Medical SchoolThe Hebrew University of JerusalemJerusalemIsrael
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20
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Farooq T, Hussain MD, Shakeel MT, Tariqjaveed M, Aslam MN, Naqvi SAH, Amjad R, Tang Y, She X, He Z. Deploying Viruses against Phytobacteria: Potential Use of Phage Cocktails as a Multifaceted Approach to Combat Resistant Bacterial Plant Pathogens. Viruses 2022; 14:171. [PMID: 35215763 PMCID: PMC8879233 DOI: 10.3390/v14020171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Revised: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Plants in nature are under the persistent intimidation of severe microbial diseases, threatening a sustainable food production system. Plant-bacterial pathogens are a major concern in the contemporary era, resulting in reduced plant growth and productivity. Plant antibiotics and chemical-based bactericides have been extensively used to evade plant bacterial diseases. To counteract this pressure, bacteria have evolved an array of resistance mechanisms, including innate and adaptive immune systems. The emergence of resistant bacteria and detrimental consequences of antimicrobial compounds on the environment and human health, accentuates the development of an alternative disease evacuation strategy. The phage cocktail therapy is a multidimensional approach effectively employed for the biocontrol of diverse resistant bacterial infections without affecting the fauna and flora. Phages engage a diverse set of counter defense strategies to undermine wide-ranging anti-phage defense mechanisms of bacterial pathogens. Microbial ecology, evolution, and dynamics of the interactions between phage and plant-bacterial pathogens lead to the engineering of robust phage cocktail therapeutics for the mitigation of devastating phytobacterial diseases. In this review, we highlight the concrete and fundamental determinants in the development and application of phage cocktails and their underlying mechanism, combating resistant plant-bacterial pathogens. Additionally, we provide recent advances in the use of phage cocktail therapy against phytobacteria for the biocontrol of devastating plant diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tahir Farooq
- Plant Protection Research Institute and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of High Technology for Plant Protection, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China; (T.F.); (Y.T.)
| | - Muhammad Dilshad Hussain
- State Key Laboratory for Agro-Biotechnology, and Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Key Laboratory for Pest Monitoring and Green Management, Department of Plant Pathology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China;
| | - Muhammad Taimoor Shakeel
- Department of Plant Pathology, Faculty of Agriculture & Environment, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur 63100, Pakistan; (M.T.S.); (M.N.A.)
| | - Muhammad Tariqjaveed
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China;
| | - Muhammad Naveed Aslam
- Department of Plant Pathology, Faculty of Agriculture & Environment, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur 63100, Pakistan; (M.T.S.); (M.N.A.)
| | - Syed Atif Hasan Naqvi
- Department of Plant Pathology, Faculty of Agriculture Science and Technology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan 60800, Pakistan;
| | - Rizwa Amjad
- Department of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, Government College University, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan;
| | - Yafei Tang
- Plant Protection Research Institute and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of High Technology for Plant Protection, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China; (T.F.); (Y.T.)
| | - Xiaoman She
- Plant Protection Research Institute and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of High Technology for Plant Protection, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China; (T.F.); (Y.T.)
| | - Zifu He
- Plant Protection Research Institute and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of High Technology for Plant Protection, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China; (T.F.); (Y.T.)
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21
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Koderi Valappil S, Shetty P, Deim Z, Terhes G, Urbán E, Váczi S, Patai R, Polgár T, Pertics BZ, Schneider G, Kovács T, Rákhely G. Survival Comes at a Cost: A Coevolution of Phage and Its Host Leads to Phage Resistance and Antibiotic Sensitivity of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Multidrug Resistant Strains. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:783722. [PMID: 34925289 PMCID: PMC8678094 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.783722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The increasing ineffectiveness of traditional antibiotics and the rise of multidrug resistant (MDR) bacteria have necessitated the revival of bacteriophage (phage) therapy. However, bacteria might also evolve resistance against phages. Phages and their bacterial hosts coexist in nature, resulting in a continuous coevolutionary competition for survival. We have isolated several clinical strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and phages that infect them. Among these, the PIAS (Phage Induced Antibiotic Sensitivity) phage belonging to the Myoviridae family can induce multistep genomic deletion in drug-resistant clinical strains of P. aeruginosa, producing a compromised drug efflux system in the bacterial host. We identified two types of mutant lines in the process: green mutants with SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms) and smaller deletions and brown mutants with large (∼250 kbp) genomic deletion. We demonstrated that PIAS used the MexXY-OprM system to initiate the infection. P. aeruginosa clogged PIAS phage infection by either modifying or deleting these receptors. The green mutant gaining phage resistance by SNPs could be overcome by evolved PIASs (E-PIASs) with a mutation in its tail-fiber protein. Characterization of the mutant phages will provide a deeper understanding of phage-host interaction. The coevolutionary process continued with large deletions in the same regions of the bacterial genomes to block the (E-)PIAS infection. These mutants gained phage resistance via either complete loss or substantial modifications of the phage receptor, MexXY-OprM, negating its essential role in antibiotic resistance. In vitro and in vivo studies indicated that combined use of PIAS and antibiotics could effectively inhibit P. aeruginosa growth. The phage can either eradicate bacteria or induce antibiotic sensitivity in MDR-resistant clinical strains. We have explored the potential use of combination therapy as an alternative approach against MDR P. aeruginosa infection.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Prateek Shetty
- Institute of Plant Biology, Biological Research Center, Szeged, Hungary
- Doctoral School of Biology, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Zoltán Deim
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Gabriella Terhes
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Edit Urbán
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Sándor Váczi
- Department of Pathophysiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Roland Patai
- Institute of Biophysics, Biological Research Center, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Tamás Polgár
- Institute of Biophysics, Biological Research Center, Szeged, Hungary
- Doctoral School of Theoretical Medicine, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | | | - György Schneider
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Tamás Kovács
- Department of Biotechnology, Nanophagetherapy Center, Enviroinvest Corp., Pécs, Hungary
- Biopesticide Ltd., Pécs, Hungary
| | - Gábor Rákhely
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
- Institute of Biophysics, Biological Research Center, Szeged, Hungary
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22
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Abstract
Bacteriophage predation is an important factor in bacterial community dynamics and evolution. Phage-bacterium interaction has mainly been studied in lab cultures, while dynamics in natural habitats, and especially in the plant root niche, are underexplored. To better understand this process, we characterized infection of the soil bacterium Bacillus subtilis NCBI 3610 by the lytic phage SPO1 during growth in LB medium and compared it to root colonization. Resistance in vitro was primarily through modification of the phage receptor. However, this type of resistance reduced the ability to colonize the root. From a line that survived phage infection while retaining the ability to colonize the root, we identified a new phage resistance mechanism involving potassium (K+) ion influx modulation and enhanced biofilm formation. Furthermore, we show that potassium serves as a stimulator of root colonization among diverse growth-promoting bacilli species, with implications for plant health.
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23
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Zhang X, Xiong D, Yu J, Yang H, He P, Wei H. Genetic Polymorphism Drives Susceptibility Between Bacteria and Bacteriophages. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:627897. [PMID: 33841354 PMCID: PMC8024471 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.627897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 02/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Phage therapy has attracted much attention for the treatment of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in recent years. However, it is common for bacteria to obtain resistance capability in short time after interaction with a lytic phage, as observed in phage therapy and co-culture of host and phage in a lab. In order to understand the mechanisms behind resistance, Staphylococcus aureus AB91118 and its lytic phage LQ7 were studied as a model system. A mutant strain named R1-3-1 resistant to the ancestral phage LQ7 was isolated, and then phages experimentally evolved from LQ7 were able to kill R1-3-1. Genomes of the two bacterial strains and the three phages (LQ7, ELQ7P-10, and ELQ7P-20) were analyzed based on deep sequencing data of NGS. Analyses showed that a few mutations could be identified in R1-3-1 and the evolved phages. Instead, in all the genomes of the bacteria and the phages, there exists genetic polymorphism of minor alleles, which distributes in many functional genes. Specifically, in the AB91118-LQ7 system it was found that the unique polymorphism sites in R1-3-1 associated to metabolic pathways could be inhibited by chloramphenicol (CHL). The resistant mutant R1-3-1 could become sensitive to the phage LQ7 in the presence of CHL. Combined use of CHL and the evolved phage from 20 cycles (ELQ7P-20) could produce the least resistance when killing the bacteria AB91118. The genetic polymorphism of minor alleles would be a new mechanism to drive the co-evolution between a phage and its host, which may enable the phage and the host get ready and fast response to the selective pressure from one to the other.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Emerging Pathogens and Biosafety, Centre for Biosafety Mega-Science, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China.,College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Dongyan Xiong
- Key Laboratory of Emerging Pathogens and Biosafety, Centre for Biosafety Mega-Science, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China.,College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Junping Yu
- Key Laboratory of Emerging Pathogens and Biosafety, Centre for Biosafety Mega-Science, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Hang Yang
- Key Laboratory of Emerging Pathogens and Biosafety, Centre for Biosafety Mega-Science, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Ping He
- Key Laboratory of Emerging Pathogens and Biosafety, Centre for Biosafety Mega-Science, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China.,College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hongping Wei
- Key Laboratory of Emerging Pathogens and Biosafety, Centre for Biosafety Mega-Science, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
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24
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Dunne M, Prokhorov NS, Loessner MJ, Leiman PG. Reprogramming bacteriophage host range: design principles and strategies for engineering receptor binding proteins. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2021; 68:272-281. [PMID: 33744824 PMCID: PMC10163921 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2021.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2020] [Revised: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Bacteriophages (phages) use specialized tail machinery to deliver proteins and genetic material into a bacterial cell during infection. Attached at the distal ends of their tails are receptor binding proteins (RBPs) that recognize specific molecules exposed on host bacteria surfaces. Since the therapeutic capacity of naturally occurring phages is often limited by narrow host ranges, there is significant interest in expanding their host range via directed evolution or structure-guided engineering of their RBPs. Here, we describe the design principles of different RBP engineering platforms and draw attention to the mechanisms linking RBP binding and the correct spatial and temporal attachment of the phage to the bacterial surface. A deeper understanding of these mechanisms will directly benefit future engineering of more effective phage-based therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Dunne
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 7, 8092, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Nikolai S Prokhorov
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Sealy Center for Structural Biology and Molecular Biophysics, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Martin J Loessner
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 7, 8092, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Petr G Leiman
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Sealy Center for Structural Biology and Molecular Biophysics, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX, USA
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25
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A Spontaneous rapZ Mutant Impairs Infectivity of Lytic Bacteriophage vB_EcoM_JS09 against Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli. mSphere 2021; 6:6/2/e01286-20. [PMID: 33658278 PMCID: PMC8546717 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.01286-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Our understanding of the mechanisms underlying phage-bacterium interactions remains limited. In Escherichia coli, RapZ regulates glucosamine-6-phosphate (GlcN6P) metabolism, the formation of which initiates synthesis of the bacterial cell envelope, including lipopolysaccharides (LPS). However, the role of RapZ, if any, on phage infectivity remains to be investigated. Here, we isolated strains of enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) resistant to its specific lytic bacteriophage vB_EcoM_JS09 (JS09) in a phage aerosol spray experiment. Whole-genome analysis of phage-resistant bacteria revealed the rapZ gene acquired a premature stop mutation at amino acid 227. Here, we report that the mutation in the rapZ gene confers resistance by inhibiting 93.5% phage adsorption. Furthermore, this mutation changes the morphology of phage plaques, reduces efficiency of plating and phage propagation efficiency, and impairs the infectivity of phage JS09 against ETEC. Using scanning electron microscopy assays, we attribute the inability of the phage to adsorb to the loss of receptors in strains with defective RapZ. Analysis of the LPS profile shows that strains with defective RapZ inhibit phage infection by changing the LPS profile in E. coli. Preincubation of phage JS09 with LPS extracted from a wild-type (WT) strain blocked infection, suggesting LPS is the host receptor for phage JS09 adsorption. Our data uncover the mechanism by which ETEC resists infection of phage JS09 by mutating the rapZ gene and then increasing the expression of glmS and changing the phage receptor-LPS profile. These findings provide insight into the function of the rapZ gene for efficient infection of phage JS09. IMPORTANCE The development of phage-resistant bacteria is a challenging problem for phage therapy. However, our knowledge of phage resistance mechanisms is still limited. RapZ is an RNase adaptor protein encoded by the rapZ gene and plays an important function in Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Here, we report the whole-genome analysis of a phage-resistant enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) strain, which revealed that the rapZ gene acquired a premature stop mutation (E227Stop). We show that the premature stop mutation of rapZ impairs the infectivity of phage JS09 in ETEC. Furthermore, our findings indicate that ETEC becomes resistant against the adsorption and infection of phage JS09 by mutating the rapZ gene, increasing the expression of glmS, and changing the phage receptor-LPS profile. It is also first reported here that RapZ is essential for efficient infection of phage JS09.
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26
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Wu CH, Rismondo J, Morgan RML, Shen Y, Loessner MJ, Larrouy-Maumus G, Freemont PS, Gründling A. Bacillus subtilis YngB contributes to wall teichoic acid glucosylation and glycolipid formation during anaerobic growth. J Biol Chem 2021; 296:100384. [PMID: 33556370 PMCID: PMC7961091 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.100384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Revised: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
UTP-glucose-1-phosphate uridylyltransferases are enzymes that produce UDP-glucose from UTP and glucose-1-phosphate. In Bacillus subtilis 168, UDP-glucose is required for the decoration of wall teichoic acid (WTA) with glucose residues and the formation of glucolipids. The B. subtilis UGPase GtaB is essential for UDP-glucose production under standard aerobic growth conditions, and gtaB mutants display severe growth and morphological defects. However, bioinformatics predictions indicate that two other UTP-glucose-1-phosphate uridylyltransferases are present in B. subtilis. Here, we investigated the function of one of them named YngB. The crystal structure of YngB revealed that the protein has the typical fold and all necessary active site features of a functional UGPase. Furthermore, UGPase activity could be demonstrated in vitro using UTP and glucose-1-phosphate as substrates. Expression of YngB from a synthetic promoter in a B. subtilis gtaB mutant resulted in the reintroduction of glucose residues on WTA and production of glycolipids, demonstrating that the enzyme can function as UGPase in vivo. When WT and mutant B. subtilis strains were grown under anaerobic conditions, YngB-dependent glycolipid production and glucose decorations on WTA could be detected, revealing that YngB is expressed from its native promoter under anaerobic condition. Based on these findings, along with the structure of the operon containing yngB and the transcription factor thought to be required for its expression, we propose that besides WTA, potentially other cell wall components might be decorated with glucose residues during oxygen-limited growth condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chih-Hung Wu
- Section of Molecular Microbiology and Medical Research Council Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jeanine Rismondo
- Section of Molecular Microbiology and Medical Research Council Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Rhodri M L Morgan
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Yang Shen
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Martin J Loessner
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Gerald Larrouy-Maumus
- Department of Life Sciences, Medical Research Council Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Paul S Freemont
- London Biofoundry, Imperial College Translation and Innovation Hub, White City Campus, London, United Kingdom; Section of Structural and Synthetic Biology, Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom; UK Dementia Research Institute Centre for Care Research and Technology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Angelika Gründling
- Section of Molecular Microbiology and Medical Research Council Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.
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27
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The arms race between bacteria and their phage foes. Nature 2020; 577:327-336. [PMID: 31942051 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-019-1894-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 431] [Impact Index Per Article: 107.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2019] [Accepted: 11/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Bacteria are under immense evolutionary pressure from their viral invaders-bacteriophages. Bacteria have evolved numerous immune mechanisms, both innate and adaptive, to cope with this pressure. The discovery and exploitation of CRISPR-Cas systems have stimulated a resurgence in the identification and characterization of anti-phage mechanisms. Bacteriophages use an extensive battery of counter-defence strategies to co-exist in the presence of these diverse phage defence mechanisms. Understanding the dynamics of the interactions between these microorganisms has implications for phage-based therapies, microbial ecology and evolution, and the development of new biotechnological tools. Here we review the spectrum of anti-phage systems and highlight their evasion by bacteriophages.
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28
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Cui Z, Guo X, Feng T, Li L. Exploring the whole standard operating procedure for phage therapy in clinical practice. J Transl Med 2019; 17:373. [PMID: 31727099 PMCID: PMC6857313 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-019-2120-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2019] [Accepted: 10/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
We have entered the post-antibiotic era. Phage therapy has recently been given renewed attention because bacteriophages are easily available and can kill bacteria. Many reports have demonstrated successful phage treatment of bacterial infection, whereas some studies have shown that phage therapy is not as effective as expected. In general, establishment of a standard operating procedure will ensure the success of phage therapy. In this paper, the whole operating procedure for phage therapy in clinical practice is explored and analyzed to comprehensively understand the success of using phage for the treatment of bacterial infectious disease in the future. The procedure includes the following: enrollment of patients for phage therapy; establishment of phage libraries; pathogenic bacterial isolation and identification; screening for effective phages against pathogenic bacteria; phage formulation preparation; phage preparation administration strategy and route; monitoring the efficacy of phage therapy; and detection of the emergence of phage-resistant strains. Finally, we outline the whole standard operating procedure for phage therapy in clinical practice. It is believed that phage therapy will be used successfully, especially in personalized medicine for the treatment of bacterial infectious diseases. Hopefully, this procedure will provide support for the entry of phage therapy into the clinic as soon as possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zelin Cui
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Shanghai General Hospital, 6th Floor, No. 3 Building, 100# Haining Road, Shanghai, 200080, China. .,Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, PA, 19104, USA.
| | - Xiaokui Guo
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Tingting Feng
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai, 200080, China
| | - Li Li
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Shanghai General Hospital, 6th Floor, No. 3 Building, 100# Haining Road, Shanghai, 200080, China.
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29
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Patel V, Black KA, Rhee KY, Helmann JD. Bacillus subtilis PgcA moonlights as a phosphoglucosamine mutase in support of peptidoglycan synthesis. PLoS Genet 2019; 15:e1008434. [PMID: 31589605 PMCID: PMC6797236 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1008434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2019] [Revised: 10/17/2019] [Accepted: 09/18/2019] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Phosphohexomutase superfamily enzymes catalyze the reversible intramolecular transfer of a phosphoryl moiety on hexose sugars. Bacillus subtilis phosphoglucomutase PgcA catalyzes the reversible interconversion of glucose 6-phosphate (Glc-6-P) and glucose 1-phosphate (Glc-1-P), a precursor of UDP-glucose (UDP-Glc). B. subtilis phosphoglucosamine mutase (GlmM) is a member of the same enzyme superfamily that converts glucosamine 6-phosphate (GlcN-6-P) to glucosamine 1-phosphate (GlcN-1-P), a precursor of the amino sugar moiety of peptidoglycan. Here, we present evidence that B. subtilis PgcA possesses activity as a phosphoglucosamine mutase that contributes to peptidoglycan biosynthesis. This activity was made genetically apparent by the synthetic lethality of pgcA with glmR, a positive regulator of amino sugar biosynthesis, which can be specifically suppressed by overproduction of GlmM. A gain-of-function mutation in a substrate binding loop (PgcA G47S) increases this secondary activity and suppresses a glmR mutant. Our results demonstrate that bacterial phosphoglucomutases may possess secondary phosphoglucosamine mutase activity, and that this dual activity may provide some level of functional redundancy for the essential peptidoglycan biosynthesis pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vaidehi Patel
- Department of Microbiology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States of America
| | - Katherine A. Black
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Weill Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Kyu Y. Rhee
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Weill Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - John D. Helmann
- Department of Microbiology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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30
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Valero‐Rello A. Diversity, specificity and molecular evolution of the lytic arsenal of
Pseudomonas
phages:
in silico
perspective. Environ Microbiol 2019; 21:4136-4150. [DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.14767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2018] [Revised: 07/30/2019] [Accepted: 07/31/2019] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
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