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Cho Y, Park K, Park J, An J, Myung H, Yoon H. Exploring the therapeutic potential of endolysin CD27L_EAD against Clostridioides difficile infection. Int J Antimicrob Agents 2024; 64:107222. [PMID: 38810936 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2024.107222] [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: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 04/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Clostridioides difficile has emerged as a major cause of life-threatening diarrheal disease. Conventional antibiotics used in current standards of care exacerbate the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains and pose a risk of recurrent C. difficile infection (CDI). Thus, there is an urgent need for alternative therapeutics that selectively eliminate C. difficile without disturbing the commensal microbiota. This study aimed to explore the potential of endolysins as an alternative therapeutic agent to antibiotics. Endolysin is a bacteriophage-derived peptidoglycan hydrolase that aids in the release of phage progeny during the final stage of infection. METHODS In order to exploit endolysin as a therapeutic agent against CDI, the bactericidal activity of 23 putative endolysins was compared and ΦCD27 endolysin CD27L was selected and modified to CD27L_EAD by cleaving the cell-wall binding domain of CD27L. RESULTS CD27L_EAD exhibited greater bacteriolytic activity than CD27L and its activity was stable over a wide range of salt concentrations and pH conditions. CD27L_EAD was added to a co-culture of human gut microbiota with C. difficile and the bacterial community structure was analyzed. CD27L_EAD did not impair the richness and diversity of the bacterial population but remarkably attenuated the abundance of C. difficile. Furthermore, the co-administration of vancomycin exerted synergistic bactericidal activity against C. difficile. β-diversity analysis revealed that CD27L_EAD did not significantly disturb the composition of the microbial community, whereas the abundance of some species belonging to the family Lachnospiraceae decreased after CD27L_EAD treatment. CONCLUSIONS This study provides insights into endolysin as a prospective therapeutic agent for the treatment of CDI without damaging the normal gut microbiota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youngjin Cho
- Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University, Suwon, South Korea
| | - Kyungah Park
- Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University, Suwon, South Korea
| | - Jeongseok Park
- Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University, Suwon, South Korea
| | - Jieun An
- Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University, Suwon, South Korea
| | - Heejoon Myung
- LyseNTech Co., Ltd., Seongnam, South Korea; Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, Yongin, South Korea
| | - Hyunjin Yoon
- Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University, Suwon, South Korea; Department of Applied Chemistry and Biological Engineering, Ajou University, Suwon, South Korea.
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Phothichaisri W, Phetruen T, Chankhamhaengdecha S, Janvilisri T, Ounjai P, Fagan RP, Chanarat S. Unraveling Physical Interactions of Clostridioides difficile with Phage and Phage-Derived Proteins Using In Vitro and Whole-Cell Assays. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2738:245-262. [PMID: 37966604 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3549-0_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: 11/16/2023]
Abstract
Physical interactions between bacteria and phages provide valuable insights into the mechanisms of phage infection and may provide information on the use of phages as a therapeutic approach. In this study, we employed a combination of in vitro and whole-cell assays to examine the interactions between Clostridioides difficile and phages and phage-derived proteins. These techniques can also be adapted for studying the physical interactions between other bacterial species and their associated phages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wichuda Phothichaisri
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Tanaporn Phetruen
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Protein and Enzyme Technology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | | | - Tavan Janvilisri
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Puey Ounjai
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Robert P Fagan
- School of Biosciences, Florey Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Sittinan Chanarat
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
- Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Protein and Enzyme Technology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
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3
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Bratkovič T, Zahirović A, Bizjak M, Rupnik M, Štrukelj B, Berlec A. New treatment approaches for Clostridioides difficile infections: alternatives to antibiotics and fecal microbiota transplantation. Gut Microbes 2024; 16:2337312. [PMID: 38591915 PMCID: PMC11005816 DOI: 10.1080/19490976.2024.2337312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile causes a range of debilitating intestinal symptoms that may be fatal. It is particularly problematic as a hospital-acquired infection, causing significant costs to the health care system. Antibiotics, such as vancomycin and fidaxomicin, are still the drugs of choice for C. difficile infections, but their effectiveness is limited, and microbial interventions are emerging as a new treatment option. This paper focuses on alternative treatment approaches, which are currently in various stages of development and can be divided into four therapeutic strategies. Direct killing of C. difficile (i) includes beside established antibiotics, less studied bacteriophages, and their derivatives, such as endolysins and tailocins. Restoration of microbiota composition and function (ii) is achieved with fecal microbiota transplantation, which has recently been approved, with standardized defined microbial mixtures, and with probiotics, which have been administered with moderate success. Prevention of deleterious effects of antibiotics on microbiota is achieved with agents for the neutralization of antibiotics that act in the gut and are nearing regulatory approval. Neutralization of C. difficile toxins (iii) which are crucial virulence factors is achieved with antibodies/antibody fragments or alternative binding proteins. Of these, the monoclonal antibody bezlotoxumab is already in clinical use. Immunomodulation (iv) can help eliminate or prevent C. difficile infection by interfering with cytokine signaling. Small-molecule agents without bacteriolytic activity are usually selected by drug repurposing and can act via a variety of mechanisms. The multiple treatment options described in this article provide optimism for the future treatment of C. difficile infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomaž Bratkovič
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Abida Zahirović
- Department of Biotechnology, Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Maruša Bizjak
- Department of Biotechnology, Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Maja Rupnik
- National Laboratory for Health, Environment and Food, Prvomajska 1, Maribor, Slovenia
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Borut Štrukelj
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Department of Biotechnology, Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Aleš Berlec
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Department of Biotechnology, Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia
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4
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Buddle JE, Fagan RP. Pathogenicity and virulence of Clostridioides difficile. Virulence 2023; 14:2150452. [PMID: 36419222 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2022.2150452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile is the most common cause of nosocomial antibiotic-associated diarrhea, and is responsible for a spectrum of diseases characterized by high levels of recurrence, morbidity, and mortality. Treatment is complex, since antibiotics constitute both the main treatment and the major risk factor for infection. Worryingly, resistance to multiple antibiotics is becoming increasingly widespread, leading to the classification of this pathogen as an urgent threat to global health. As a consummate opportunist, C. difficile is well equipped for promoting disease, owing to its arsenal of virulence factors: transmission of this anaerobe is highly efficient due to the formation of robust endospores, and an array of adhesins promote gut colonization. C. difficile produces multiple toxins acting upon gut epithelia, resulting in manifestations typical of diarrheal disease, and severe inflammation in a subset of patients. This review focuses on such virulence factors, as well as the importance of antimicrobial resistance and genome plasticity in enabling pathogenesis and persistence of this important pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica E Buddle
- Molecular Microbiology, School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Robert P Fagan
- Molecular Microbiology, School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
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5
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Khan FM, Chen JH, Zhang R, Liu B. A comprehensive review of the applications of bacteriophage-derived endolysins for foodborne bacterial pathogens and food safety: recent advances, challenges, and future perspective. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1259210. [PMID: 37869651 PMCID: PMC10588457 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1259210] [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: 07/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Foodborne diseases are caused by food contaminated by pathogenic bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Campylobacter, and Clostridium, a critical threat to human health. As a novel antibacterial agent against foodborne pathogens, endolysins are peptidoglycan hydrolases encoded by bacteriophages that lyse bacterial cells by targeting their cell wall, notably in Gram-positive bacteria due to their naturally exposed peptidoglycan layer. These lytic enzymes have gained scientists' interest in recent years due to their selectivity, mode of action, engineering potential, and lack of resistance mechanisms. The use of endolysins for food safety has undergone significant improvements, which are summarized and discussed in this review. Endolysins can remove bacterial biofilms of foodborne pathogens and their cell wall-binding domain can be employed as a tool for quick detection of foodborne pathogens. We explained the applications of endolysin for eliminating pathogenic bacteria in livestock and various food matrices, as well as the limitations and challenges in use as a dietary supplement. We also highlight the novel techniques of the development of engineering endolysin for targeting Gram-negative bacterial pathogens. In conclusion, endolysin is safe and effective against foodborne pathogens and has no adverse effect on human cells and beneficial microbiota. As a result, endolysin could be employed as a functional bio-preservative agent to improve food stability and safety and maintain the natural taste of food quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fazal Mehmood Khan
- College of Civil and Transportation Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
- Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
- Institute for Innovative Development of Food Industry, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jie-Hua Chen
- Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
- Institute for Innovative Development of Food Industry, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Rui Zhang
- Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Bin Liu
- Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
- Institute for Innovative Development of Food Industry, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
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6
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Dorosky RJ, Lola SL, Brown HA, Schreier JE, Dreher-Lesnick SM, Stibitz S. Characterization of Lactobacilli Phage Endolysins and Their Functional Domains-Potential Live Biotherapeutic Testing Reagents. Viruses 2023; 15:1986. [PMID: 37896764 PMCID: PMC10610939 DOI: 10.3390/v15101986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Phage endolysin-specific binding characteristics and killing activity support their potential use in biotechnological applications, including potency and purity testing of live biotherapeutic products (LBPs). LBPs contain live organisms, such as lactic acid bacteria (LAB), and are intended for use as drugs. Our approach uses the endolysin cell wall binding domains (CBD) for LBP potency assays and the endolysin killing activity for purity assays. CBDs of the following five lactobacilli phage lysins were characterized: CL1, Jlb1, Lj965, LL-H, and ΦJB. They exhibited different bindings to 27 LAB strains and were found to bind peptidoglycan or surface polymers. Flow cytometry based on CBD binding was used to enumerate viable counts of two strains in the mixture. CL1-lys, jlb1-lys, and ΦJB-lys and their enzymatic domains (EADs) exhibited cell wall digestive activity and lytic activity against LAB. Jlb1-EAD and ΦJB-EAD were more sensitive than their respective hololysins to buffer pH and NaCl changes. The ΦJB-EAD exhibited stronger lytic activity than ΦJB-lys, possibly due to ΦJB-CBD-mediated sequestration of ΦJB-lys by cell debris. CBD multiplex assays indicate that these proteins may be useful LBP potency reagents, and the lytic activity suggests that CL1-lys, jlb1-lys, and ΦJB-lys and their EADs are good candidates for LBP purity reagent development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert J. Dorosky
- Office of Vaccines Research and Review, Division of Bacterial, Parasitic, and Allergenic Products, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD 20993, USA
| | - Stephanie L. Lola
- Office of Vaccines Research and Review, Division of Bacterial, Parasitic, and Allergenic Products, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD 20993, USA
| | - Haleigh A. Brown
- Office of Vaccines Research and Review, Division of Bacterial, Parasitic, and Allergenic Products, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD 20993, USA
| | - Jeremy E. Schreier
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Sheila M. Dreher-Lesnick
- Office of Vaccines Research and Review, Division of Bacterial, Parasitic, and Allergenic Products, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD 20993, USA
| | - Scott Stibitz
- Office of Vaccines Research and Review, Division of Bacterial, Parasitic, and Allergenic Products, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD 20993, USA
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7
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Dicks LMT. Biofilm Formation of Clostridioides difficile, Toxin Production and Alternatives to Conventional Antibiotics in the Treatment of CDI. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2161. [PMID: 37764005 PMCID: PMC10534356 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11092161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile is considered a nosocomial pathogen that flares up in patients exposed to antibiotic treatment. However, four out of ten patients diagnosed with C. difficile infection (CDI) acquired the infection from non-hospitalized individuals, many of whom have not been treated with antibiotics. Treatment of recurrent CDI (rCDI) with antibiotics, especially vancomycin (VAN) and metronidazole (MNZ), increases the risk of experiencing a relapse by as much as 70%. Fidaxomicin, on the other hand, proved more effective than VAN and MNZ by preventing the initial transcription of RNA toxin genes. Alternative forms of treatment include quorum quenching (QQ) that blocks toxin synthesis, binding of small anion molecules such as tolevamer to toxins, monoclonal antibodies, such as bezlotoxumab and actoxumab, bacteriophage therapy, probiotics, and fecal microbial transplants (FMTs). This review summarizes factors that affect the colonization of C. difficile and the pathogenicity of toxins TcdA and TcdB. The different approaches experimented with in the destruction of C. difficile and treatment of CDI are evaluated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leon M T Dicks
- Department of Microbiology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch 7600, South Africa
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8
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Umansky AA, Fortier LC. The long and sinuous road to phage-based therapy of Clostridioides difficile infections. Front Med (Lausanne) 2023; 10:1259427. [PMID: 37680620 PMCID: PMC10481535 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1259427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
With the antibiotic crisis and the rise in antimicrobial resistance worldwide, new therapeutic alternatives are urgently needed. Phage therapy represents one of the most promising alternatives but for some pathogens, such as Clostridioides difficile, important challenges are being faced. The perspective of phage therapy to treat C. difficile infections is complicated by the fact that no strictly lytic phages have been identified so far, and current temperate phages generally have a narrow host range. C. difficile also harbors multiple antiphage mechanisms, and the bacterial genome is often a host of one or multiple prophages that can interfere with lytic phage infection. Nevertheless, due to recent advances in phage host receptor recognition and improvements in genetic tools to manipulate phage genomes, it is now conceivable to genetically engineer C. difficile phages to make them suitable for phage therapy. Other phage-based alternatives such as phage endolysins and phage tail-like bacteriocins (avidocins) are also being investigated but these approaches also have their own limitations and challenges. Last but not least, C. difficile produces spores that are resistant to phage attacks and all current antibiotics, and this complicates therapeutic interventions. This mini-review gives a brief historical overview of phage work that has been carried out in C. difficile, presents recent advances in the field, and addresses the most important challenges that are being faced, with potential solutions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Louis Charles Fortier
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
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Alyahya K, Baillie L. Assessing the Feasibility of Employing a Combination of a Bacteriophage-Derived Endolysin and Spore Germinants to Treat Relapsing Clostridioides difficile Infection. Microorganisms 2023; 11:1651. [PMID: 37512824 PMCID: PMC10384137 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11071651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile is a Gram-positive, anaerobic, spore-forming bacillus and is a major cause of healthcare-associated infections. Whereas the vegetative form of the pathogen is susceptible to treatment with antibiotics, its ability to persist in the gut as antibiotic-resistant spores means that reinfection can occur in cases were the individual fails to re-establish a protective microflora. Bacteriophages and their lysins are currently being explored as treatment options due to their specificity, which minimizes the disruption to the other members of the gut microflora that are protective. The feasibility of employing recombinant endolysins to target the vegetative form of C. difficile has been demonstrated in animal models. In this study, we cloned and expressed the enzyme active domain of LysCD6356 and confirmed its ability to lyse the vegetative forms of a diverse range of clinical isolates of C. difficile, which included members of the hypervirulent 027 ribotype. Lytic activity was adversely affected by calcium, which is naturally found in the gut and is released from the spore upon germination. Our results suggests that a strategy in which the triggering of spore germination is separated in time from the application of the lysin could be developed as a strategy to reduce the risk of relapsing C. difficile infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khalid Alyahya
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3NB, UK
| | - Les Baillie
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3NB, UK
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10
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Raeisi H, Noori M, Azimirad M, Mohebbi SR, Asadzadeh Aghdaei H, Yadegar A, Zali MR. Emerging applications of phage therapy and fecal virome transplantation for treatment of Clostridioides difficile infection: challenges and perspectives. Gut Pathog 2023; 15:21. [PMID: 37161478 PMCID: PMC10169144 DOI: 10.1186/s13099-023-00550-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile, which causes life-threatening diarrheal disease, is considered an urgent threat to healthcare setting worldwide. The current standards of care solely rely on conventional antibiotic treatment, however, there is a risk of promoting recurrent C. difficile infection (rCDI) because of the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains. Globally, the alarming spread of antibiotic-resistant strains of C. difficile has resulted in a quest for alternative therapeutics. The use of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), which involves direct infusion of fecal suspension from a healthy donor into a diseased recipient, has been approved as a highly efficient therapeutic option for patients with rCDI. Bacteriophages or phages are a group of viruses that can infect and destroy bacterial hosts, and are recognized as the dominant viral component of the human gut microbiome. Accumulating data has demonstrated that phages play a vital role in microbial balance of the human gut microbiome. Recently, phage therapy and fecal virome transplantation (FVT) have been introduced as promising alternatives for the treatment of C. difficile -related infections, in particular drug-resistant CDI. Herein, we review the latest updates on C. difficile- specific phages, and phage-mediated treatments, and highlight the current and future prospects of phage therapy in the management of CDI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamideh Raeisi
- Foodborne and Waterborne Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maryam Noori
- Foodborne and Waterborne Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Masoumeh Azimirad
- Foodborne and Waterborne Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Seyed Reza Mohebbi
- Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hamid Asadzadeh Aghdaei
- Basic and Molecular Epidemiology of Gastrointestinal Disorders Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Abbas Yadegar
- Foodborne and Waterborne Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Mohammad Reza Zali
- Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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11
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Fujimoto K, Uematsu S. Phage therapy for Clostridioides difficile infection. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1057892. [PMID: 36389774 PMCID: PMC9650352 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1057892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 08/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile is endemic in the intestinal tract of healthy people. However, it is responsible for many healthcare-associated infections, such as nosocomial diarrhea following antibiotic treatment. Importantly, there have been cases of unsuccessful treatment and relapse related to the emergence of highly virulent strains of C. difficile and resistance to antimicrobial agents. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is considered an effective therapy for recurrent C. difficile infection. However, its safety is of concern because deaths caused by antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections after FMT were reported. Therefore, the development of effective C. difficile-specific treatments is urgently needed. In this review, we summarize the importance of phage therapy against C. difficile, and describe a novel next-generation phage therapy developed using metagenomic data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kosuke Fujimoto
- Department of Immunology and Genomics, Osaka Metropolitan University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
- Division of Metagenome Medicine, Human Genome Center, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Satoshi Uematsu
- Department of Immunology and Genomics, Osaka Metropolitan University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
- Division of Metagenome Medicine, Human Genome Center, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
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12
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Yang L, Li W, Zhang X, Tian J, Ma X, Han L, Wei H, Meng W. The evaluation of different types fecal bacteria products for the treatment of recurrent Clostridium difficile associated diarrhea: A systematic review and network meta-analysis. Front Surg 2022; 9:927970. [DOI: 10.3389/fsurg.2022.927970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
PurposeTo determine the efficacy of different types of fecal microbiota transplantation for the treatment of recurrent clostridium difficile associated diarrhea (RCDAD).MethodsWe searched PubMed, Embase, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science, China Biomedical Medicine (CBM), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) and WanFang database. We also tracked the references found in systematic reviews of RCDAD treated with fecal microbiota transplantation. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing different types of fecal microbiota transplantation with other methods for the treatment of RCDAD. The search period was from the date of inception of this treatment method to January 16, 2022. Two reviewers independently screened the published literature, extracted the data and assessed the risk of bias. Systematic review and network meta-analysis were conducted using RevMan 5.4, Stata 16.0 and R 4.1.2 software.ResultsTen RCTs involving 765 patients were included in this network meta-analysis. The results showed that treatment with fresh fecal bacteria and frozen fecal bacteria were better than vancomycin, fresh vs. vancomycin [odds ratio, (OR) = 8.98, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) (1.84, 43.92)], frozen vs. vancomycin [OR = 7.44, 95% CI (1.39, 39.75)]. However, there were no statistically significant differences in cure rate [fresh vs. frozen: OR = 1.21, 95% CI (0.22, 6.77); fresh vs. lyophilized, OR = 1.95, 95% CI (0.20, 19.44); frozen vs. lyophilized, OR = 1.62, 95% CI (0.30, 8.85)]. The Surface Under the Cumulative Ranking (SUCRA) indicated that fresh fecal bacteria were the best treatment for RCDAD.ConclusionsFresh fecal bacteria are the best treatment of RCDAD, frozen fecal bacteria and lyophilized fecal bacteria can achieve the same effect. Fecal microbiota transplantation is worthy of clinical and commercial application.
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13
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Wang M, Deng Z, Li Y, Ma Y, Wang J. Design and characterization of a novel lytic protein against Clostridium difficile. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2022; 106:4511-4521. [PMID: 35699735 PMCID: PMC9194777 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-022-12010-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Revised: 05/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Abstract Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) is a Gram-positive, spore-forming, toxin-producing anaerobe that can cause nosocomial antibiotic-associated intestinal disease. Autolysin is a lytic enzyme that hydrolyzes peptidoglycans of the bacterial cell wall, with a catalytic domain and cell wall–binding domains, proven to be involved in bacterial cell wall remodeling and cell division. Although autolysins in C. difficile have been reported, the autolysins have failed to yield impressive results when used as exogenous lytic agents. In this study, we expressed and characterized the binding domains (Cwp19-BD and Acd-BD) and catalytic domains (Cwp19-CD, Acd-CD, and Cwl-CD) of C. difficile autolysins, and the domains with the best binding specificity and lytic activity were selected towards C. difficile to design a novel lytic protein Cwl-CWB2. Cwl-CWB2 showed good biosafety with significantly low hemolysis and without cytotoxicity. The results of fluorescence analysis and lytic assay demonstrated that Cwl-CWB2 has higher binding specificity and stronger lytic activity with a minimum inhibitory concentration at 13.39 ± 5.80 μg/mL against living C. difficile cells, which is significantly stronger than commercial lysozyme (3333.33 ± 1443.37 μg/mL) and other reported C. difficile autolysins. Besides, Cwl-CWB2 exhibited good stability as about 75% of the lytic activity was still retained when incubated at 37 °C for 96 h, which is considered to be a potential antimicrobial agent to combat C. difficile. Key points • Several binding domains and catalytic domains, deriving from several Clostridium difficile autolysins, were expressed, purified, and functionally characterized. • A novel C. difficile lytic protein Cwl-CWB2 was designed from C. difficile autolysins. • The binding specificity and lytic activity of Cwl-CWB2 against C. difficile showed advantages compared with other reported C. difficile autolysins. • Cwl-CWB2 exhibited significantly low hemolysis and cytotoxicity against normal-derived colon mucosa 460 cell. Graphical abstract ![]()
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00253-022-12010-0.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Wang
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Zifeng Deng
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Yanmei Li
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Yi Ma
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Fermentation and Enzyme Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Jufang Wang
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Fermentation and Enzyme Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
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14
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Venhorst J, van der Vossen JMBM, Agamennone V. Battling Enteropathogenic Clostridia: Phage Therapy for Clostridioides difficile and Clostridium perfringens. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:891790. [PMID: 35770172 PMCID: PMC9234517 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.891790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The pathogenic Clostridioides difficile and Clostridium perfringens are responsible for many health care-associated infections as well as systemic and enteric diseases. Therefore, they represent a major health threat to both humans and animals. Concerns regarding increasing antibiotic resistance (related to C. difficile and C. perfringens) have caused a surge in the pursual of novel strategies that effectively combat pathogenic infections, including those caused by both pathogenic species. The ban on antibiotic growth promoters in the poultry industry has added to the urgency of finding novel antimicrobial therapeutics for C. perfringens. These efforts have resulted in various therapeutics, of which bacteriophages (in short, phages) show much promise, as evidenced by the Eliava Phage Therapy Center in Tbilisi, Georgia (https://eptc.ge/). Bacteriophages are a type of virus that infect bacteria. In this review, the (clinical) impact of clostridium infections in intestinal diseases is recapitulated, followed by an analysis of the current knowledge and applicability of bacteriophages and phage-derived endolysins in this disease indication. Limitations of phage and phage endolysin therapy were identified and require considerations. These include phage stability in the gastrointestinal tract, influence on gut microbiota structure/function, phage resistance development, limited host range for specific pathogenic strains, phage involvement in horizontal gene transfer, and-for phage endolysins-endolysin resistance, -safety, and -immunogenicity. Methods to optimize features of these therapeutic modalities, such as mutagenesis and fusion proteins, are also addressed. The future success of phage and endolysin therapies require reliable clinical trial data for phage(-derived) products. Meanwhile, additional research efforts are essential to expand the potential of exploiting phages and their endolysins for mitigating the severe diseases caused by C. difficile and C. perfringens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Venhorst
- Biomedical Health, Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Jos M. B. M. van der Vossen
- Microbiology and Systems Biology, Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), Zeist, Netherlands
| | - Valeria Agamennone
- Microbiology and Systems Biology, Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), Zeist, Netherlands
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15
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Phothichaisri W, Chankhamhaengdecha S, Janvilisri T, Nuadthaisong J, Phetruen T, Fagan RP, Chanarat S. Potential Role of the Host-Derived Cell-Wall Binding Domain of Endolysin CD16/50L as a Molecular Anchor in Preservation of Uninfected Clostridioides difficile for New Rounds of Phage Infection. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0236121. [PMID: 35377223 PMCID: PMC9045149 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02361-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Endolysin is a phage-encoded cell-wall hydrolase which degrades the peptidoglycan layer of the bacterial cell wall. The enzyme is often expressed at the late stage of the phage lytic cycle and is required for progeny escape. Endolysins of bacteriophage that infect Gram-positive bacteria often comprises two domains: a peptidoglycan hydrolase and a cell-wall binding domain (CBD). Although the catalytic domain of endolysin is relatively well-studied, the precise role of CBD is ambiguous and remains controversial. Here, we focus on the function of endolysin CBD from a recently isolated Clostridioides difficile phage. We found that the CBD is not required for lytic activity, which is strongly prevented by the surface layer of C. difficile. Intriguingly, hidden Markov model analysis suggested that the endolysin CBD is likely derived from the CWB2 motif of C. difficile cell-wall proteins but possesses a higher binding affinity to bacterial cell-wall polysaccharides. Moreover, the CBD forms a homodimer, formation of which is necessary for interaction with the surface saccharides. Importantly, endolysin diffusion and sequential cytolytic assays showed that CBD of endolysin is required for the enzyme to be anchored to post-lytic cell-wall remnants, suggesting its physiological roles in limiting diffusion of the enzyme, preserving neighboring host cells, and thereby enabling the phage progeny to initiate new rounds of infection. Taken together, this study provides an insight into regulation of endolysin through CBD and can potentially be applied for endolysin treatment against C. difficile infection. IMPORTANCE Endolysin is a peptidoglycan hydrolase encoded in a phage genome. The enzyme is attractive due to its potential use as antibacterial treatment. To utilize endolysin for the therapeutic propose, understanding of the fundamental role of endolysin becomes important. Here, we investigate the function of cell-wall binding domain (CBD) of an endolysin from a C. difficile phage. The domain is homologous to a cell-wall associating module of bacterial cell-wall proteins, likely acquired during phage-host coevolution. The interaction of CBD to bacterial cell walls reduces enzyme diffusion and thereby limits cell lysis of the neighboring bacteria. Our findings indicate that the endolysin is trapped to the cell-wall residuals through CBD and might serve as an advantage for phage replication. Thus, employing a CBD-less endolysin might be a feasible strategy for using endolysin for the treatment of C. difficile infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wichuda Phothichaisri
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | | | - Tavan Janvilisri
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Jirayu Nuadthaisong
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Tanaporn Phetruen
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Robert P. Fagan
- School of Biosciences, Florey Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Sittinan Chanarat
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Protein and Enzyme Technology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
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16
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Singh A, Padmesh S, Dwivedi M, Kostova I. How Good are Bacteriophages as an Alternative Therapy to Mitigate Biofilms of Nosocomial Infections. Infect Drug Resist 2022; 15:503-532. [PMID: 35210792 PMCID: PMC8860455 DOI: 10.2147/idr.s348700] [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: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteria survive on any surface through the generation of biofilms that provide a protective environment to grow as well as making them drug resistant. Extracellular polymeric matrix is a crucial component in biofilm formation. The presence of biofilms consisting of common opportunistic and nosocomial, drug-resistant pathogens has been reported on medical devices like catheters and prosthetics, leading to many complications. Several approaches are under investigation to combat drug-resistant bacteria. Deployment of bacteriophages is one of the promising approaches to invade biofilm that may expose bacteria to the conditions adverse for their growth. Penetration into these biofilms and their destruction by bacteriophages is brought about due to their small size and ability of their progeny to diffuse through the bacterial cell wall. The other mechanisms employed by phages to infect biofilms may include their relocation through water channels to embedded host cells, replication at local sites followed by infection to the neighboring cells and production of depolymerizing enzymes to decompose viscous biofilm matrix, etc. Various research groups are investigating intricacies involved in phage therapy to mitigate the bacterial infection and biofilm formation. Thus, bacteriophages represent a good control over different biofilms and further understanding of phage-biofilm interaction at molecular level may overcome the clinical challenges in phage therapy. The present review summarizes the comprehensive details on dynamic interaction of phages with bacterial biofilms and the role of phage-derived enzymes - endolysin and depolymerases in extenuating biofilms of clinical and medical concern. The methodology employed was an extensive literature search, using several keywords in important scientific databases, such as Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, ScienceDirect, etc. The keywords were also used with Boolean operator "And". More than 250 relevant and recent articles were selected and reviewed to discuss the evidence-based data on the application of phage therapy with recent updates, and related potential challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aditi Singh
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow Campus, Lucknow, 226028, India
| | - Sudhakar Padmesh
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow Campus, Lucknow, 226028, India
| | - Manish Dwivedi
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow Campus, Lucknow, 226028, India
| | - Irena Kostova
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University, Sofia, 1000, Bulgaria
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17
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Phanchana M, Harnvoravongchai P, Wongkuna S, Phetruen T, Phothichaisri W, Panturat S, Pipatthana M, Charoensutthivarakul S, Chankhamhaengdecha S, Janvilisri T. Frontiers in antibiotic alternatives for Clostridioides difficile infection. World J Gastroenterol 2021; 27:7210-7232. [PMID: 34876784 PMCID: PMC8611198 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v27.i42.7210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2021] [Revised: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) is a gram-positive, anaerobic spore-forming bacterium and a major cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Humans are naturally resistant to C. difficile infection (CDI) owing to the protection provided by healthy gut microbiota. When the gut microbiota is disturbed, C. difficile can colonize, produce toxins, and manifest clinical symptoms, ranging from asymptomatic diarrhea and colitis to death. Despite the steady-if not rising-prevalence of CDI, it will certainly become more problematic in a world of antibiotic overuse and the post-antibiotic era. C. difficile is naturally resistant to most of the currently used antibiotics as it uses multiple resistance mechanisms. Therefore, current CDI treatment regimens are extremely limited to only a few antibiotics, which include vancomycin, fidaxomicin, and metronidazole. Therefore, one of the main challenges experienced by the scientific community is the development of alternative approaches to control and treat CDI. In this Frontier article, we collectively summarize recent advances in alternative treatment approaches for CDI. Over the past few years, several studies have reported on natural product-derived compounds, drug repurposing, high-throughput library screening, phage therapy, and fecal microbiota transplantation. We also include an update on vaccine development, pre- and pro-biotics for CDI, and toxin antidote approaches. These measures tackle CDI at every stage of disease pathology via multiple mechanisms. We also discuss the gaps and concerns in these developments. The next epidemic of CDI is not a matter of if but a matter of when. Therefore, being well-equipped with a collection of alternative therapeutics is necessary and should be prioritized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Phanchana
- Department of Molecular Tropical Medicine and Genetics, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | | | - Supapit Wongkuna
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Tanaporn Phetruen
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Wichuda Phothichaisri
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Supakan Panturat
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Methinee Pipatthana
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Sitthivut Charoensutthivarakul
- School of Bioinnovation and Bio-based Product Intelligence, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | | | - Tavan Janvilisri
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
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18
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Morzywolek A, Plotka M, Kaczorowska AK, Szadkowska M, Kozlowski LP, Wyrzykowski D, Makowska J, Waters JJ, Swift SM, Donovan DM, Kaczorowski T. Novel Lytic Enzyme of Prophage Origin from Clostridium botulinum E3 Strain Alaska E43 with Bactericidal Activity against Clostridial Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22179536. [PMID: 34502443 PMCID: PMC8430805 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22179536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Revised: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Clostridium botulinum is a Gram-positive, anaerobic, spore-forming bacterium capable of producing botulinum toxin and responsible for botulism of humans and animals. Phage-encoded enzymes called endolysins, which can lyse bacteria when exposed externally, have potential as agents to combat bacteria of the genus Clostridium. Bioinformatics analysis revealed in the genomes of several Clostridium species genes encoding putative N-acetylmuramoyl-l-alanine amidases with anti-clostridial potential. One such enzyme, designated as LysB (224-aa), from the prophage of C. botulinum E3 strain Alaska E43 was chosen for further analysis. The recombinant 27,726 Da protein was expressed and purified from E. coli Tuner(DE3) with a yield of 37.5 mg per 1 L of cell culture. Size-exclusion chromatography and analytical ultracentrifugation experiments showed that the protein is dimeric in solution. Bioinformatics analysis and results of site-directed mutagenesis studies imply that five residues, namely H25, Y54, H126, S132, and C134, form the catalytic center of the enzyme. Twelve other residues, namely M13, H43, N47, G48, W49, A50, L73, A75, H76, Q78, N81, and Y182, were predicted to be involved in anchoring the protein to the lipoteichoic acid, a significant component of the Gram-positive bacterial cell wall. The LysB enzyme demonstrated lytic activity against bacteria belonging to the genera Clostridium, Bacillus, Staphylococcus, and Deinococcus, but did not lyse Gram-negative bacteria. Optimal lytic activity of LysB occurred between pH 4.0 and 7.5 in the absence of NaCl. This work presents the first characterization of an endolysin derived from a C. botulinum Group II prophage, which can potentially be used to control this important pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Morzywolek
- Laboratory of Extremophiles Biology, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, 80-822 Gdansk, Poland; (A.M.); (M.S.)
| | - Magdalena Plotka
- Laboratory of Extremophiles Biology, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, 80-822 Gdansk, Poland; (A.M.); (M.S.)
- Correspondence: (M.P.); (T.K.)
| | - Anna-Karina Kaczorowska
- Collection of Plasmids and Microorganisms, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland;
| | - Monika Szadkowska
- Laboratory of Extremophiles Biology, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, 80-822 Gdansk, Poland; (A.M.); (M.S.)
| | - Lukasz P. Kozlowski
- Institute of Informatics, Faculty of Mathematics, Informatics and Mechanics, University of Warsaw, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland;
| | - Dariusz Wyrzykowski
- Department of General and Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland; (D.W.); (J.M.)
| | - Joanna Makowska
- Department of General and Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland; (D.W.); (J.M.)
| | - Jerel J. Waters
- Animal Biosciences and Biotechnology Laboratory, ARS, NEA, USDA, Beltsville, MD 20705-2350, USA; (J.J.W.); (S.M.S.); (D.M.D.)
| | - Steven M. Swift
- Animal Biosciences and Biotechnology Laboratory, ARS, NEA, USDA, Beltsville, MD 20705-2350, USA; (J.J.W.); (S.M.S.); (D.M.D.)
| | - David M. Donovan
- Animal Biosciences and Biotechnology Laboratory, ARS, NEA, USDA, Beltsville, MD 20705-2350, USA; (J.J.W.); (S.M.S.); (D.M.D.)
| | - Tadeusz Kaczorowski
- Laboratory of Extremophiles Biology, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, 80-822 Gdansk, Poland; (A.M.); (M.S.)
- Correspondence: (M.P.); (T.K.)
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19
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Furlon JM, Mitchell SJ, Bailey-Kellogg C, Griswold KE. Bioinformatics-driven discovery of novel Clostridioides difficile lysins and experimental comparison with highly active benchmarks. Biotechnol Bioeng 2021; 118:2482-2492. [PMID: 33748952 PMCID: PMC10049856 DOI: 10.1002/bit.27759] [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: 12/31/2020] [Revised: 03/07/2021] [Accepted: 03/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile is the single most deadly bacterial pathogen in the United States, and its global prevalence and outsized health impacts underscore the need for more effective therapeutic options. Towards this goal, a novel group of modified peptidoglycan hydrolases with significant in vitro bactericidal activity have emerged as potential candidates for treating C. difficile infections (CDI). To date, discovery and development efforts directed at these CDI-specific lysins have been limited, and in particular there has been no systematic comparison of known or newly discovered lysin candidates. Here, we detail bioinformatics-driven discovery of six new anti-C. difficile lysins belonging to the amidase-3 family of enzymes, and we describe experimental comparison of their respective catalytic domains (CATs) with highly active CATs from the literature. Our quantitative analyses include metrics for expression level, inherent antibacterial activity, breadth of strain selectivity, killing of germinating spores, and structural and functional measures of thermal stability. Importantly, prior studies have not examined stability as a performance metric, and our results show that the panel of eight enzymes possess widely variable thermal denaturation temperatures and resistance to heat inactivation, including some enzymes that exhibit marginal stability at body temperature. Ultimately, no single enzyme dominated with respect to all performance measures, suggesting the need for a balanced assessment of lysin properties during efforts to find, engineer, and develop candidates with true clinical potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob M Furlon
- Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | | | - Chris Bailey-Kellogg
- Department of Computer Science, Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA.,Lyticon LLC, Lebanon, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Karl E Griswold
- Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA.,Lyticon LLC, Lebanon, New Hampshire, USA
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20
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Characterization of an Endolysin Targeting Clostridioides difficile That Affects Spore Outgrowth. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22115690. [PMID: 34073633 PMCID: PMC8199566 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22115690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Revised: 05/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile is a spore-forming enteric pathogen causing life-threatening diarrhoea and colitis. Microbial disruption caused by antibiotics has been linked with susceptibility to, and transmission and relapse of, C. difficile infection. Therefore, there is an urgent need for novel therapeutics that are effective in preventing C. difficile growth, spore germination, and outgrowth. In recent years bacteriophage-derived endolysins and their derivatives show promise as a novel class of antibacterial agents. In this study, we recombinantly expressed and characterized a cell wall hydrolase (CWH) lysin from C. difficile phage, phiMMP01. The full-length CWH displayed lytic activity against selected C. difficile strains. However, removing the N-terminal cell wall binding domain, creating CWH351—656, resulted in increased and/or an expanded lytic spectrum of activity. C. difficile specificity was retained versus commensal clostridia and other bacterial species. As expected, the putative cell wall binding domain, CWH1—350, was completely inactive. We also observe the effect of CWH351—656 on preventing C. difficile spore outgrowth. Our results suggest that CWH351—656 has therapeutic potential as an antimicrobial agent against C. difficile infection.
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21
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Fujimoto K, Kimura Y, Allegretti JR, Yamamoto M, Zhang YZ, Katayama K, Tremmel G, Kawaguchi Y, Shimohigoshi M, Hayashi T, Uematsu M, Yamaguchi K, Furukawa Y, Akiyama Y, Yamaguchi R, Crowe SE, Ernst PB, Miyano S, Kiyono H, Imoto S, Uematsu S. Functional Restoration of Bacteriomes and Viromes by Fecal Microbiota Transplantation. Gastroenterology 2021; 160:2089-2102.e12. [PMID: 33577875 PMCID: PMC8684800 DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2021.02.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Revised: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is an effective therapy for recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection (rCDI). However, the overall mechanisms underlying FMT success await comprehensive elucidation, and the safety of FMT has recently become a serious concern because of the occurrence of drug-resistant bacteremia transmitted by FMT. We investigated whether functional restoration of the bacteriomes and viromes by FMT could be an indicator of successful FMT. METHODS The human intestinal bacteriomes and viromes from 9 patients with rCDI who had undergone successful FMT and their donors were analyzed. Prophage-based and CRISPR spacer-based host bacteria-phage associations in samples from recipients before and after FMT and in donor samples were examined. The gene functions of intestinal microorganisms affected by FMT were evaluated. RESULTS Metagenomic sequencing of both the viromes and bacteriomes revealed that FMT does change the characteristics of intestinal bacteriomes and viromes in recipients after FMT compared with those before FMT. In particular, many Proteobacteria, the fecal abundance of which was high before FMT, were eliminated, and the proportion of Microviridae increased in recipients. Most temperate phages also behaved in parallel with the host bacteria that were altered by FMT. Furthermore, the identification of bacterial and viral gene functions before and after FMT revealed that some distinctive pathways, including fluorobenzoate degradation and secondary bile acid biosynthesis, were significantly represented. CONCLUSIONS The coordinated action of phages and their host bacteria restored the recipients' intestinal flora. These findings show that the restoration of intestinal microflora functions reflects the success of FMT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kosuke Fujimoto
- Department of Immunology and Genomics, Osaka City University, Graduate School of Medicine, Abeno-ku, Osaka, Japan,Division of Metagenome Medicine, Human Genome Center, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan,Division of Innate Immune Regulation, International Research and Development Center for Mucosal Vaccines, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yasumasa Kimura
- Division of Systems Immunology, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Jessica R. Allegretti
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Endoscopy, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Mako Yamamoto
- Division of Health Medical Intelligence, Human Genome Center, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yao-zhong Zhang
- Division of Health Medical Intelligence, Human Genome Center, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kotoe Katayama
- Division of Health Medical Intelligence, Human Genome Center, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Georg Tremmel
- Laboratory of DNA Information Analysis, Human Genome Center, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yunosuke Kawaguchi
- Department of Immunology and Genomics, Osaka City University, Graduate School of Medicine, Abeno-ku, Osaka, Japan
| | - Masaki Shimohigoshi
- Department of Immunology and Genomics, Osaka City University, Graduate School of Medicine, Abeno-ku, Osaka, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Hayashi
- Department of Immunology and Genomics, Osaka City University, Graduate School of Medicine, Abeno-ku, Osaka, Japan
| | - Miho Uematsu
- Department of Immunology and Genomics, Osaka City University, Graduate School of Medicine, Abeno-ku, Osaka, Japan
| | - Kiyoshi Yamaguchi
- Division of Clinical Genome Research, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoichi Furukawa
- Division of Clinical Genome Research, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yutaka Akiyama
- Department of Computer Science, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Rui Yamaguchi
- Laboratory of DNA Information Analysis, Human Genome Center, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Sheila E. Crowe
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Peter B. Ernst
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, CU-UCSD Center for Mucosal Immunology, Allergy and Vaccines, University of California San Diego, San Diego, La Jolla, California,Division of Comparative Pathology and Medicine, Department of Pathology, University of California San Diego, San Diego, La Jolla, California,Center for Veterinary Sciences and Comparative Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Satoru Miyano
- Laboratory of DNA Information Analysis, Human Genome Center, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Kiyono
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, CU-UCSD Center for Mucosal Immunology, Allergy and Vaccines, University of California San Diego, San Diego, La Jolla, California,Division of Comparative Pathology and Medicine, Department of Pathology, University of California San Diego, San Diego, La Jolla, California,Department of Mucosal Immunology, IMSUT Distinguished Professor Unit, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan,International Research and Development Center for Mucosal Vaccines, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Seiya Imoto
- Division of Health Medical Intelligence, Human Genome Center, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan; Collaborative Research Institute for Innovative Microbiology, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Satoshi Uematsu
- Department of Immunology and Genomics, Osaka City University, Graduate School of Medicine, Abeno-ku, Osaka, Japan; Division of Metagenome Medicine, Human Genome Center, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan; Division of Innate Immune Regulation, International Research and Development Center for Mucosal Vaccines, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan; Collaborative Research Institute for Innovative Microbiology, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
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22
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Khan AA, Manzoor KN, Sultan A, Saeed M, Rafique M, Noushad S, Talib A, Rentschler S, Deigner HP. Pulling the Brakes on Fast and Furious Multiple Drug-Resistant (MDR) Bacteria. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:E859. [PMID: 33467089 PMCID: PMC7830236 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22020859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Revised: 01/11/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Life-threatening bacterial infections have been managed by antibiotics for years and have significantly improved the wellbeing and lifetime of humans. However, bacteria have always been one step ahead by inactivating the antimicrobial agent chemically or by producing certain enzymes. The alarming universal occurrence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria has compelled researchers to find alternative treatments for MDR infections. This is a menace where conventional chemotherapies are no longer promising, but several novel approaches could help. Our current review article discusses the novel approaches that can combat MDR bacteria: starting off with potential nanoparticles (NPs) that efficiently interact with microorganisms causing fatal changes in the morphology and structure of these cells; nanophotothermal therapy using inorganic NPs like AuNPs to destroy pathogenic bacterial cells; bacteriophage therapy against which bacteria develop less resistance; combination drugs that act on dissimilar targets in distinctive pathways; probiotics therapy by the secretion of antibacterial chemicals; blockage of quorum sensing signals stopping bacterial colonization, and vaccination against resistant bacterial strains along with virulence factors. All these techniques show us a promising future in the fight against MDR bacteria, which remains the greatest challenge in public health care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abid Ali Khan
- Center for Precision Medicine, Hochschule Furtwangen University, Jakob-Kienzle-Str. 17, 78054 Villingen-Schwenningen, Germany;
- Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Park Road, Tarlai Kalan, Islamabad 45550, Pakistan; (K.N.M.); (A.S.); (M.S.); (M.R.); (S.N.)
| | - Khanzadi Nazneen Manzoor
- Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Park Road, Tarlai Kalan, Islamabad 45550, Pakistan; (K.N.M.); (A.S.); (M.S.); (M.R.); (S.N.)
| | - Aamir Sultan
- Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Park Road, Tarlai Kalan, Islamabad 45550, Pakistan; (K.N.M.); (A.S.); (M.S.); (M.R.); (S.N.)
| | - Maria Saeed
- Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Park Road, Tarlai Kalan, Islamabad 45550, Pakistan; (K.N.M.); (A.S.); (M.S.); (M.R.); (S.N.)
| | - Mahrukh Rafique
- Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Park Road, Tarlai Kalan, Islamabad 45550, Pakistan; (K.N.M.); (A.S.); (M.S.); (M.R.); (S.N.)
| | - Sameen Noushad
- Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Park Road, Tarlai Kalan, Islamabad 45550, Pakistan; (K.N.M.); (A.S.); (M.S.); (M.R.); (S.N.)
| | - Ayesha Talib
- Mechano(bio)chem Department, Max Planck Institute for Colloids and Interfaces, Am Mühlenberg 1, Golm, 14476 Potsdam, Germany;
| | - Simone Rentschler
- Center for Precision Medicine, Hochschule Furtwangen University, Jakob-Kienzle-Str. 17, 78054 Villingen-Schwenningen, Germany;
| | - Hans-Peter Deigner
- Center for Precision Medicine, Hochschule Furtwangen University, Jakob-Kienzle-Str. 17, 78054 Villingen-Schwenningen, Germany;
- Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Leipzig, Schillingallee 68, 18057 Rostock, Germany
- Faculty of Science, University of Tuebingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 8, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
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23
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Engineered Phage Endolysin Eliminates Gardnerella Biofilm without Damaging Beneficial Bacteria in Bacterial Vaginosis Ex Vivo. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10010054. [PMID: 33435575 PMCID: PMC7830407 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10010054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Revised: 12/31/2020] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacterial vaginosis is characterized by an imbalance of the vaginal microbiome and a characteristic biofilm formed on the vaginal epithelium, which is initiated and dominated by Gardnerella bacteria, and is frequently refractory to antibiotic treatment. We investigated endolysins of the type 1,4-beta-N-acetylmuramidase encoded on Gardnerella prophages as an alternative treatment. When recombinantly expressed, these proteins demonstrated strong bactericidal activity against four different Gardnerella species. By domain shuffling, we generated several engineered endolysins with 10-fold higher bactericidal activity than any wild-type enzyme. When tested against a panel of 20 Gardnerella strains, the most active endolysin, called PM-477, showed minimum inhibitory concentrations of 0.13–8 µg/mL. PM-477 had no effect on beneficial lactobacilli or other species of vaginal bacteria. Furthermore, the efficacy of PM-477 was tested by fluorescence in situ hybridization on vaginal samples of fifteen patients with either first time or recurring bacterial vaginosis. In thirteen cases, PM-477 killed the Gardnerella bacteria and physically dissolved the biofilms without affecting the remaining vaginal microbiome. The high selectivity and effectiveness in eliminating Gardnerella, both in cultures of isolated strains as well as in clinically derived samples of natural polymicrobial biofilms, makes PM-477 a promising alternative to antibiotics for the treatment of bacterial vaginosis, especially in patients with frequent recurrence.
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24
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Zhang Z, Lahti M, Douillard FP, Korkeala H, Lindström M. Phage lysin that specifically eliminates Clostridium botulinum Group I cells. Sci Rep 2020; 10:21571. [PMID: 33299101 PMCID: PMC7725837 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-78622-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Clostridium botulinum poses a serious threat to food safety and public health by producing potent neurotoxin during its vegetative growth and causing life-threatening neuroparalysis, botulism. While high temperature can be utilized to eliminate C. botulinum spores and the neurotoxin, non-thermal elimination of newly germinated C. botulinum cells before onset of toxin production could provide an alternative or additional factor controlling the risk of botulism in some applications. Here we introduce a putative phage lysin that specifically lyses vegetative C. botulinum Group I cells. This lysin, called CBO1751, efficiently kills cells of C. botulinum Group I strains at the concentration of 5 µM, but shows little or no lytic activity against C. botulinum Group II or III or other Firmicutes strains. CBO1751 is active at pH from 6.5 to 10.5. The lytic activity of CBO1751 is tolerant to NaCl (200 mM), but highly susceptible to divalent cations Ca2+ and Mg2+ (50 mM). CBO1751 readily and effectively eliminates C. botulinum during spore germination, an early stage preceding vegetative growth and neurotoxin production. This is the first report of an antimicrobial lysin against C. botulinum, presenting high potential for developing a novel antibotulinal agent for non-thermal applications in food and agricultural industries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Zhang
- Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, P. O. Box 66, 00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Meeri Lahti
- Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, P. O. Box 66, 00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - François P Douillard
- Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, P. O. Box 66, 00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Hannu Korkeala
- Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, P. O. Box 66, 00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Miia Lindström
- Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, P. O. Box 66, 00014, Helsinki, Finland.
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25
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Mondal SI, Draper LA, Ross RP, Hill C. Bacteriophage endolysins as a potential weapon to combat Clostridioides difficile infection. Gut Microbes 2020; 12:1813533. [PMID: 32985336 PMCID: PMC7524323 DOI: 10.1080/19490976.2020.1813533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile is the leading cause of health-care-associated infection throughout the developed world and contributes significantly to patient morbidity and mortality. Typically, antibiotics are used for the primary treatment of C. difficile infections (CDIs), but they are not universally effective for all ribotypes and can result in antibiotic resistance and recurrent infection, while also disrupting the microbiota. Novel targeted therapeutics are urgently needed to combat CDI. Bacteriophage-derived endolysins are required to disrupt the bacterial cell wall of their target bacteria and are possible alternatives to antibiotics. These lytic proteins could potentially replace or augment antibiotics in CDI treatment. We discuss candidate therapeutic lysins derived from phages/prophages of C. difficile and their potential as antimicrobials against CDI. Additionally, we review the antibacterial potential of some recently identified homologues of C. difficile endolysins. Finally, the challenges of endolysins are considered with respect to the development of novel lysin-based therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shakhinur Islam Mondal
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland,Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Department, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet, Bangladesh
| | - Lorraine A. Draper
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland,School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - R Paul Ross
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland,School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland,Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark, Cork, Ireland
| | - Colin Hill
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland,School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland,CONTACT Colin Hill APC Microbiome Ireland & School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
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26
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Cheleuitte-Nieves C, Heselpoth RD, Westblade LF, Lipman NS, Fischetti VA. Searching for a Bacteriophage Lysin to Treat Corynebacterium bovis in Immunocompromised Mice. Comp Med 2020; 70:328-335. [PMID: 32471521 PMCID: PMC7446641 DOI: 10.30802/aalas-cm-19-000096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2019] [Revised: 10/23/2019] [Accepted: 12/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Corynebacterium bovis is the causative agent of Corynebacterium-associated hyperkeratosis in immunocompromised mice. The resulting skin pathology can be profound and can be associated with severe wasting, making the animals unsuitable for research. Although the administration of antibiotics is effective in resolving clinical symptoms, antibiotics do not eradicate the offending bacterium. Furthermore, antibiotic use may be contraindicated as it can affect tumor growth and is associated with Clostridioides difficile enterotoxemia in highly immunocompromised murine strains. Lysins, which are lytic enzymes obtained from bacteriophages, are novel antimicrobial agents for treating bacterial diseases. The advantage of lysins are its target specificity, with minimal off-target complications that could affect the host or the biology of the engrafted tumor. The aim of this study was to identify lysins active against C. bovis. Chemical activation of latent prophages by using mitomycin C in 3 C. bovis isolates did not cause bacteriophage induction as determined through plaque assays and transmission electron microscopy. As an alternative approach, 8 lysins associated with other bacterial species, including those from the closely related species C. falsenii, were tested for their lytic action against C. bovis but were unsuccessful. These findings were congruent with the previously reported genomic analysis of 21 C. bovis isolates, which failed to reveal bacteriophage sequences by using the PHAST and PHASTER web server tools. From these results, we suggest C. bovis is among those rare bacterial species devoid of lysogenic bacteriophages, thus making the identification of C. bovis-specific lysins more challenging. However, C. bovis may be a useful model organism for studying the effects of antiphage systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Cheleuitte-Nieves
- Tri-Institutional Training Program in Laboratory Animal Medicine and Science, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, and The Rockefeller University, New York, New York; Center of Comparative Medicine and Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York;,
| | - Ryan D Heselpoth
- Laboratory of Bacterial Pathogenesis and Immunology, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York
| | - Lars F Westblade
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York; Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Neil S Lipman
- Tri-Institutional Training Program in Laboratory Animal Medicine and Science, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, and The Rockefeller University, New York, New York; Center of Comparative Medicine and Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Vincent A Fischetti
- Laboratory of Bacterial Pathogenesis and Immunology, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York
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27
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Le TS, Southgate PC, O’Connor W, Vu SV, Kurtböke Dİ. Application of Bacteriophages to Control Vibrio alginolyticus Contamination in Oyster ( Saccostrea glomerata) Larvae. Antibiotics (Basel) 2020; 9:antibiotics9070415. [PMID: 32708768 PMCID: PMC7400271 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics9070415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Revised: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Mortalities of bivalve larvae and spat linked with Vibrio spp. infection have been described in hatcheries since 1959, causing potential development of resistant bacteria. A reliable and sustainable solution to this problem is yet to be developed. Potential treatment of bacterial infection with bacteriophages is gaining interest in aquaculture as a more sustainable option for managing Vibrio spp. infection. This study assessed the effectiveness of bacteriophages (Φ-5, Φ-6, and Φ-7) against pathogenic Vibrio isolates (USC-26004 and USC-26005). These phage isolates were found to belong to the Myoviridae viral family. A total of 212 ORFs of Φ-5 were identified and annotated. The genome of this phage contained putative thymidine kinase and lysin enzyme. During infections with phages, the OD values of the isolates USC-26005 and USC-26004 remained stable at a much lower reading compared to the control after 9 h of incubation. Mortality rate of oyster (Saccostrea glomerata) larvae was 28.2 ± 3.5% in the bacteriophage treatment group, compared to 77.9 ± 9.1% in the bacterial treatment group after 24 h incubation. Findings of this study indicate that lytic phages might be utilized as potential bio-control agents of luminescent bacterial disease in oyster hatcheries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tuan Son Le
- Research Institute for Marine Fisheries, 224 Le Lai, Ngo Quyen, Hai Phong 180000, Vietnam; or
- GeneCology Research Centre and School of Science and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, 90 Sippy Downs Drive, Sippy Downs, Queensland 4556, Australia; or
| | - Paul C. Southgate
- Australian Centre for Pacific Islands Research and School of Science and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, Queensland 4556, Australia;
| | - Wayne O’Connor
- NSW Fisheries, Port Stephens Fisheries Institute, Taylors Beach 2316, Australia;
| | - Sang V. Vu
- GeneCology Research Centre and School of Science and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, 90 Sippy Downs Drive, Sippy Downs, Queensland 4556, Australia; or
| | - D. İpek Kurtböke
- GeneCology Research Centre and School of Science and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, 90 Sippy Downs Drive, Sippy Downs, Queensland 4556, Australia; or
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +61-7-5430-2918
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28
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Reuter M, Kruger DH. Approaches to optimize therapeutic bacteriophage and bacteriophage-derived products to combat bacterial infections. Virus Genes 2020; 56:136-149. [PMID: 32036540 PMCID: PMC7223754 DOI: 10.1007/s11262-020-01735-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2019] [Accepted: 01/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The emerging occurrence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens leads to a recollection of bacteriophage as antimicrobial therapeutics. This article presents a short overview of the clinical phage application including their use in military medicine and discusses the genotypic and phenotypic properties of a potential "ideal" therapeutic phage. We describe current efforts to engineer phage for their improved usability in pathogen treatment. In addition, phage can be applied for pathogen detection, selective drug delivery, vaccine development, or food and surface decontamination. Instead of viable phage, (engineered) phage-derived enzymes, such as polysaccharide depolymerases or peptidoglycan-degrading enzymes, are considered as promising therapeutic candidates. Finally, we briefly summarize the use of phage for the detection and treatment of "Category A priority pathogens".
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Reuter
- Institute of Virology, Helmut-Ruska-Haus, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Detlev H. Kruger
- Institute of Virology, Helmut-Ruska-Haus, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
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29
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Smulski S, Turlewicz-Podbielska H, Wylandowska A, Włodarek J. Non-antibiotic Possibilities in Prevention and Treatment of Calf Diarrhoea. J Vet Res 2020; 64:119-126. [PMID: 32258808 PMCID: PMC7105995 DOI: 10.2478/jvetres-2020-0002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2019] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Due to increasing bacterial antibiotic resistance and the consumers' tendency to choose organic products, cattle farmers are interested in alternative methods of calf diarrhoea treatment. This is a major challenge for veterinarians. Few methods of non-antibiotic treatment that bring satisfactory results have been reported in the related literature so far. In this article, the authors compare different non-antibiotic methods of diarrhoea prevention and treatment in calves. Among the alternatives discussed are herbs, probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics, lactoferrin, and bacteriophages. It was found that the best results could be achieved through the use of pro-, pre- and synbiotics. However, the authors would like to point out that with the expansion of knowledge about the practical use of broad-scale bacteriophages, they could be the best alternative to antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hanna Turlewicz-Podbielska
- Department of Preclinical Sciences and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Poznań University of Life Sciences, 60-637Poznań, Poland
| | - Agata Wylandowska
- Department of Preclinical Sciences and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Poznań University of Life Sciences, 60-637Poznań, Poland
| | - Jan Włodarek
- Department of Preclinical Sciences and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Poznań University of Life Sciences, 60-637Poznań, Poland
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30
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Gram-Negative Bacterial Lysins. Antibiotics (Basel) 2020; 9:antibiotics9020074. [PMID: 32054067 PMCID: PMC7168136 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics9020074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2020] [Revised: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 02/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibiotics have had a profound impact on human society by enabling the eradication of otherwise deadly infections. Unfortunately, antibiotic use and overuse has led to the rapid spread of acquired antibiotic resistance, creating a major threat to public health. Novel therapeutic agents called bacteriophage endolysins (lysins) provide a solution to the worldwide epidemic of antibiotic resistance. Lysins are a class of enzymes produced by bacteriophages during the lytic cycle, which are capable of cleaving bonds in the bacterial cell wall, resulting in the death of the bacteria within seconds after contact. Through evolutionary selection of the phage progeny to be released and spread, these lysins target different critical components in the cell wall, making resistance to these molecules orders of magnitude less likely than conventional antibiotics. Such properties make lysins uniquely suitable for the treatment of multidrug resistant bacterial pathogens. Lysins, either naturally occurring or engineered, have the potential of being developed into fast-acting, narrow-spectrum, biofilm-disrupting antimicrobials that act synergistically with standard of care antibiotics. This review focuses on newly discovered classes of Gram-negative lysins with emphasis on prototypical enzymes that have been evaluated for efficacy against the major antibiotic resistant organisms causing nosocomial infections.
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31
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Baryakova TH, Ritter SC, Tresnak DT, Hackel BJ. Computationally Aided Discovery of LysEFm5 Variants with Improved Catalytic Activity and Stability. Appl Environ Microbiol 2020; 86:e02051-19. [PMID: 31811034 PMCID: PMC6997734 DOI: 10.1128/aem.02051-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2019] [Accepted: 11/30/2019] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophage-derived lysin proteins are potentially effective antimicrobials that would benefit from engineered improvements to their bioavailability and specific activity. Here, the catalytic domain of LysEFm5, a lysin with activity against vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VRE), was subjected to site-saturation mutagenesis at positions whose selection was guided by sequence and structural information from homologous proteins. A second-order Potts model with parameters inferred from large sets of homologous sequence information was used to predict the average change in the statistical fitness for mutant libraries with diversity at pairs of sites within the secondary catalytic shell. Guided by the statistical fitness, nine double mutant saturation libraries were created and plated on agar containing autoclaved VRE to quickly identify and segregate catalytically active (halo-forming) and inactive (non-halo-forming) variants. High-throughput DNA sequencing of 873 unique variants showed that the statistical fitness was predictive of the retention or loss of catalytic activity (area under the curve [AUC], 0.840 to 0.894), with the inclusion of more diverse sequences in the starting multiple-sequence alignment improving the classification accuracy when pairwise amino acid couplings (epistasis) were considered. Of eight random halo-forming variants selected for more sensitive testing, one showed a 1.8 (±0.4)-fold improvement in specific activity and an 11.5 ± 0.8°C increase in melting temperature compared to those of the wild type. Our results demonstrate that a computationally informed approach employing homologous protein information coupled with a mid-throughput screening assay allows for the expedited discovery of lysin variants with improved properties.IMPORTANCE Broad-spectrum antibiotics can indiscriminately kill most bacteria, including commensal species that are a part of the normal human flora. This can potentially lead to the proliferation of drug-resistant bacteria upon elimination of competing species and to unwanted autoimmune effects in patients. Bacteriophage-derived lysin proteins are an alternative to conventional antibiotics that have coevolved alongside specific bacterial hosts. Lysins are capable of targeting conserved substrates in the bacterial cell wall essential for its viability. To engineer these proteins to exhibit improved therapeutically relevant properties, homology-guided statistical approaches can be used to identify compelling sites for mutation and to quantify the functional constraints acting on these sites to direct mutagenic library creation. The platform described herein couples this informed approach with a visual plate assay that can be used to simultaneously screen hundreds of mutants for catalytic activity, allowing for the streamlined identification of improved lysin variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsvetelina H Baryakova
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Seth C Ritter
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Daniel T Tresnak
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Benjamin J Hackel
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
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32
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Rehman S, Ali Z, Khan M, Bostan N, Naseem S. The dawn of phage therapy. Rev Med Virol 2019; 29:e2041. [PMID: 31050070 DOI: 10.1002/rmv.2041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2018] [Revised: 01/17/2019] [Accepted: 01/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Bacteriophages or phages, being the most abundant entities on earth, represent a potential solution to a diverse range of problems. Phages are successful antibacterial agents whose use in therapeutics was hindered by the discovery of antibiotics. Eventually, because of the development and spread of antibiotic resistance among most bacterial species, interest in phage as therapeutic entities has returned, because their noninfectious nature to humans should make them safe for human nanomedicine. This review highlights the most recent advances and progress in phage therapy and bacterial hosts against which phage research is currently being conducted with respect to food, human, and marine pathogens. Bacterial immunity against phages and tactics of phage revenge to defeat bacterial defense systems are also summarized. We have also discussed approved phage-based products (whole phage-based products and phage proteins) and shed light on their influence on the eukaryotic host with respect to host safety and induction of immune response against phage preparations. Moreover, creation of phages with desirable qualities and their uses in cancer treatment, vaccine production, and other therapies are also reviewed to bring together evidence from the scientific literature about the potentials and possible utility of phage and phage encoded proteins in the field of therapeutics and industrial biotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sana Rehman
- Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Zahid Ali
- Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Momna Khan
- Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Nazish Bostan
- Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Saadia Naseem
- Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Islamabad, Pakistan
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Isolation of a T7-Like Lytic Pasteurella Bacteriophage vB_PmuP_PHB01 and Its Potential Use in Therapy against Pasteurella multocida Infections. Viruses 2019; 11:v11010086. [PMID: 30669600 PMCID: PMC6356340 DOI: 10.3390/v11010086] [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: 11/06/2018] [Revised: 01/15/2019] [Accepted: 01/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
A lytic bacteriophage PHB01 specific for Pasteurella multocida type D was isolated from the sewage water collected from a pig farm. This phage had the typical morphology of the family Podoviridae, order Caudovirales, presenting an isometric polyhedral head and a short noncontractile tail. PHB01 was able to infect most of the non-toxigenic P. multocida type D strains tested, but not toxigenic type D strains and those belonging to other capsular types. Phage PHB01, the first lytic phage specific for P. multocida type D sequenced thus far, presents a 37,287-bp double-stranded DNA genome with a 223-bp terminal redundancy. The PHB01 genome showed the highest homology with that of PHB02, a lytic phage specific for P. multocida type A. Phylogenetic analysis showed that PHB01 and PHB02 were composed of a genus that was close to the T7-virus genus. In vivo tests using mouse models showed that the administration of PHB01 was safe to the mice and had a good effect on treating the mice infected with different P. multocida type D strains including virulent strain HN05. These findings suggest that PHB01 has a potential use in therapy against infections caused by P. multocida type D.
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Peng Z, Wang S, Gide M, Zhu D, Lamabadu Warnakulasuriya Patabendige HM, Li C, Cai J, Sun X. A Novel Bacteriophage Lysin-Human Defensin Fusion Protein Is Effective in Treatment of Clostridioides difficile Infection in Mice. Front Microbiol 2019; 9:3234. [PMID: 30687250 PMCID: PMC6336692 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.03234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2018] [Accepted: 12/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile is the leading cause of worldwide antibiotics-associated diarrhea. In this study, we report the construction and evaluation of a novel bacteriophage lysin-human defensin fusion protein targeting C. difficile. The fusion protein, designated LHD, is composed of two parts connected by a 3-repeating unit linker "(GGGGS)3": the catalytic domain of a lysin protein from a C. difficile bacteriophage phiC2 (LCD), and the functional domain of a human defensin protein HD5. Lytic assays showed that LHD protein had a potent lytic activity against different types of clinical C. difficile strains, including the epidemic 027, 078, 012, and 087 strains. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of LHD was 0.78 μg/ml, which was lower than the MIC of the protein LCD (1.56 μg/ml), and the MICs of metronidazole (4 μg/ml) and vancomycin (4 μg/ml). In addition, the LHD protein could lyse C. different strains in different pHs (6.0, 7.0, and 8.0). Evaluation of LHD potency in vivo using mouse model of C. difficile infection (CDI) showed that administration of the LHD protein (twice daily for 7 days) was effective in mitigating the symptoms and reducing the death from CDI. Treatment with LHD also significantly decreased the number of C. difficile spores and the toxin level in feces from the infected mice. Our data suggest that this novel lysin-human defensin fusion protein has a potential on CDI control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhong Peng
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Shaohui Wang
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
| | - Mussie Gide
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
| | - Duolong Zhu
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
| | | | - Chunhui Li
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
| | - Jianfeng Cai
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
| | - Xingmin Sun
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
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Khan A, Miller WR, Arias CA. Mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance among hospital-associated pathogens. Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther 2018; 16:269-287. [PMID: 29617188 DOI: 10.1080/14787210.2018.1456919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The introduction of antibiotics revolutionized medicine in the 20th-century permitting the treatment of once incurable infections. Widespread use of antibiotics, however, has led to the development of resistant organisms, particularly in the healthcare setting. Today, the clinician is often faced with pathogens carrying a cadre of resistance determinants that severely limit therapeutic options. The genetic plasticity of microbes allows them to adapt to stressors via genetic mutations, acquisition or sharing of genetic material and modulation of genetic expression leading to resistance to virtually any antimicrobial used in clinical practice. Areas covered: This is a comprehensive review that outlines major mechanisms of resistance in the most common hospital-associated pathogens including bacteria and fungi. Expert commentary: Understanding the genetic and biochemical mechanisms of such antimicrobial adaptation is crucial to tackling the rapid spread of resistance, can expose unconventional therapeutic targets to combat multidrug resistant pathogens and lead to more accurate prediction of antimicrobial susceptibility using rapid molecular diagnostics. Clinicians making treatment decisions based on the molecular basis of resistance may design therapeutic strategies that include de-escalation of broad spectrum antimicrobial usage, more focused therapies or combination therapies. These strategies are likely to improve patient outcomes and decrease the risk of resistance in hospital settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayesha Khan
- a Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics , University of Texas McGovern Medical School , Houston , Texas , USA.,b Center for Antimicrobial Resistance and Microbial Genomics , University of Texas Health Science Center , Houston , TX , USA
| | - William R Miller
- b Center for Antimicrobial Resistance and Microbial Genomics , University of Texas Health Science Center , Houston , TX , USA.,c Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases , McGovern Medical School
| | - Cesar A Arias
- a Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics , University of Texas McGovern Medical School , Houston , Texas , USA.,b Center for Antimicrobial Resistance and Microbial Genomics , University of Texas Health Science Center , Houston , TX , USA.,c Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases , McGovern Medical School.,d Molecular Genetics and Antimicrobial Resistance Unit and International Center for Microbial Genomics , Universidad El Bosque , Bogota , Colombia.,e School of Public Health , UTHealth Center for Infectious Diseases , Houston , TX , USA
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Casey E, van Sinderen D, Mahony J. In Vitro Characteristics of Phages to Guide 'Real Life' Phage Therapy Suitability. Viruses 2018; 10:v10040163. [PMID: 29601536 PMCID: PMC5923457 DOI: 10.3390/v10040163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2018] [Revised: 03/27/2018] [Accepted: 03/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The increasing problem of antibiotic-resistant pathogens has put enormous pressure on healthcare providers to reduce the application of antibiotics and to identify alternative therapies. Phages represent such an alternative with significant application potential, either on their own or in combination with antibiotics to enhance the effectiveness of traditional therapies. However, while phage therapy may offer exciting therapeutic opportunities, its evaluation for safe and appropriate use in humans needs to be guided initially by reliable and appropriate assessment techniques at the laboratory level. Here, we review the process of phage isolation and the application of individual pathogens or reference collections for the development of specific or "off-the-shelf" preparations. Furthermore, we evaluate current characterization approaches to assess the in vitro therapeutic potential of a phage including its spectrum of activity, genome characteristics, storage and administration requirements and effectiveness against biofilms. Lytic characteristics and the ability to overcome anti-phage systems are also covered. These attributes direct phage selection for their ultimate application as antimicrobial agents. We also discuss current pitfalls in this research area and propose that priority should be given to unify current phage characterization approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eoghan Casey
- School of Microbiology and APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, T12 YT20 Cork, Ireland.
| | - Douwe van Sinderen
- School of Microbiology and APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, T12 YT20 Cork, Ireland.
| | - Jennifer Mahony
- School of Microbiology and APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, T12 YT20 Cork, Ireland.
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Engineering of Phage-Derived Lytic Enzymes: Improving Their Potential as Antimicrobials. Antibiotics (Basel) 2018; 7:antibiotics7020029. [PMID: 29565804 PMCID: PMC6023083 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics7020029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2018] [Revised: 03/16/2018] [Accepted: 03/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Lytic enzymes encoded by bacteriophages have been intensively explored as alternative agents for combating bacterial pathogens in different contexts. The antibacterial character of these enzymes (enzybiotics) results from their degrading activity towards peptidoglycan, an essential component of the bacterial cell wall. In fact, phage lytic products have the capacity to kill target bacteria when added exogenously in the form of recombinant proteins. However, there is also growing recognition that the natural bactericidal activity of these agents can, and sometimes needs to be, substantially improved through manipulation of their functional domains or by equipping them with new functions. In addition, often, native lytic proteins exhibit features that restrict their applicability as effective antibacterials, such as poor solubility or reduced stability. Here, I present an overview of the engineering approaches that can be followed not only to overcome these and other restrictions, but also to generate completely new antibacterial agents with significantly enhanced characteristics. As conventional antibiotics are running short, the remarkable progress in this field opens up the possibility of tailoring efficient enzybiotics to tackle the most menacing bacterial infections.
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38
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Peng Z, Ling L, Stratton CW, Li C, Polage CR, Wu B, Tang YW. Advances in the diagnosis and treatment of Clostridium difficile infections. Emerg Microbes Infect 2018; 7:15. [PMID: 29434201 PMCID: PMC5837143 DOI: 10.1038/s41426-017-0019-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2017] [Revised: 12/22/2017] [Accepted: 12/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Clostridium difficile is a leading cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhea worldwide. The diagnosis of C. difficile infection (CDI) requires both clinical manifestations and a positive laboratory test for C. difficile and/or its toxins. While antibiotic therapy is the treatment of choice for CDI, there are relatively few classes of effective antibiotics currently available. Therefore, the development of novel antibiotics and/or alternative treatment strategies for CDI has received a great deal of attention in recent years. A number of emerging agents such as cadazolid, surotomycin, ridinilazole, and bezlotoxumab have demonstrated activity against C. difficile; some of these have been approved for limited clinical use and some are in clinical trials. In addition, other approaches such as early and accurate diagnosis of CDI as well as disease prevention are important for clinical management. While the toxigenic culture and the cell cytotoxicity neutralization assay are still recognized as the gold standard for the diagnosis of CDI, new diagnostic approaches such as nucleic acid amplification methods have become available. In this review, we will discuss both current and emerging diagnostic and therapeutic modalities for CDI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhong Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China
| | - Lifen Ling
- The Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518000, Guangdong, China
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Charles W Stratton
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
| | - Chunhui Li
- Infection Control Center, Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
| | - Christopher R Polage
- Departments of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and Internal Medicine, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA
| | - Bin Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China
| | - Yi-Wei Tang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
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Yoon S, Yu J, McDowell A, Kim SH, You HJ, Ko G. Bile salt hydrolase-mediated inhibitory effect of Bacteroides ovatus on growth of Clostridium difficile. J Microbiol 2017; 55:892-899. [PMID: 29076071 DOI: 10.1007/s12275-017-7340-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2017] [Revised: 09/11/2017] [Accepted: 09/27/2017] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is one of the most common nosocomial infections. Dysbiosis of the gut microbiota due to consumption of antibiotics is a major contributor to CDI. Recently, fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has been applied to treat CDI. However, FMT has important limitations including uncontrolled exposure to pathogens and standardization issues. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate alternative treatment methods, such as bacteriotherapy, as well as the mechanism through which beneficial bacteria inhibit the growth of C. difficile. Here, we report bile acid-mediated inhibition of C. difficile by Bacteroides strains which can produce bile salt hydrolase (BSH). Bacteroides strains are not commonly used to treat CDI; however, as they comprise a large proportion of the intestinal microbiota, they can contribute to bile acid-mediated inhibition of C. difficile. The inhibitory effect on C. difficile growth increased with increasing bile acid concentration in the presence of Bacteroides ovatus SNUG 40239. Furthermore, this inhibitory effect on C. difficile growth was significantly attenuated when bile acid availability was reduced by cholestyramine, a bile acid sequestrant. The findings of this study are important due to the discovery of a new bacterial strain that in the presence of available bile acids inhibits growth of C. difficile. These results will facilitate development of novel bacteriotherapy strategies to control CDI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soobin Yoon
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Junsun Yu
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Andrea McDowell
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung Ho Kim
- KoBioLabs, Inc., Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun Ju You
- Center for Human and Environmental Microbiome, Institute of Health and Environment, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea.
| | - GwangPyo Ko
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea. .,KoBioLabs, Inc., Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea. .,Center for Human and Environmental Microbiome, Institute of Health and Environment, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea. .,Bio-MAX/N-Bio, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea.
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40
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Lin DM, Koskella B, Lin HC. Phage therapy: An alternative to antibiotics in the age of multi-drug resistance. World J Gastrointest Pharmacol Ther 2017; 8:162-173. [PMID: 28828194 PMCID: PMC5547374 DOI: 10.4292/wjgpt.v8.i3.162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 490] [Impact Index Per Article: 70.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2016] [Revised: 04/12/2017] [Accepted: 05/31/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The practice of phage therapy, which uses bacterial viruses (phages) to treat bacterial infections, has been around for almost a century. The universal decline in the effectiveness of antibiotics has generated renewed interest in revisiting this practice. Conventionally, phage therapy relies on the use of naturally-occurring phages to infect and lyse bacteria at the site of infection. Biotechnological advances have further expanded the repertoire of potential phage therapeutics to include novel strategies using bioengineered phages and purified phage lytic proteins. Current research on the use of phages and their lytic proteins against multidrug-resistant bacterial infections, suggests phage therapy has the potential to be used as either an alternative or a supplement to antibiotic treatments. Antibacterial therapies, whether phage- or antibiotic-based, each have relative advantages and disadvantages; accordingly, many considerations must be taken into account when designing novel therapeutic approaches for preventing and treating bacterial infection. Although much about phages and human health is still being discovered, the time to take phage therapy serious again seems to be rapidly approaching.
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Fehér C, Soriano A, Mensa J. A Review of Experimental and Off-Label Therapies for Clostridium difficile Infection. Infect Dis Ther 2017; 6:1-35. [PMID: 27910000 PMCID: PMC5336415 DOI: 10.1007/s40121-016-0140-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
In spite of increased awareness and the efforts taken to optimize Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) management, with the limited number of currently available antibiotics for C. difficile the halt of this increasing epidemic remains out of reach. There are, however, close to 80 alternative treatment methods with controversial anti-clostridial efficacy or in experimental phase today. Indeed, some of these therapies are expected to become acknowledged members of the recommended anti-CDI arsenal within the next few years. None of these alternative treatment methods can respond in itself to all the major challenges of CDI management, which are primary prophylaxis in the susceptible population, clinical cure of severe cases, prevention of recurrences, and forestallment of asymptomatic C. difficile carriage and in-hospital spread. Yet, the greater the variety of treatment choices on hand, the better combination strategies can be developed to reach these goals in the future. The aim of this article is to provide a comprehensive summary of these experimental and currently off-label therapeutic options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Csaba Fehér
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Clínic of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Alex Soriano
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Clínic of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
- University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Josep Mensa
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Clínic of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
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Antibiofilm Activities of a Novel Chimeolysin against Streptococcus mutans under Physiological and Cariogenic Conditions. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2016; 60:7436-7443. [PMID: 27736755 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01872-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2016] [Accepted: 10/02/2016] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus mutans often survives as a biofilm on the tooth surface and contributes to the development of dental caries. We investigated the efficacy of ClyR, an engineered chimeolysin, against S. mutans biofilms under physiological and cariogenic conditions. Susceptibility tests showed that ClyR was active against all clinical S. mutans isolates tested as well as S. mutans biofilms that displayed resistance to penicillin. The S. mutans biofilms that formed on hydroxyapatite discs under physiological sugar conditions and cariogenic conditions were reduced ∼2 logs and 3 logs after treatment with 100 μg/ml ClyR, respectively. In comparison, only a 1-log reduction was observed in the chlorhexidine gluconate (ChX)-treated group, and no killing effect was observed in the NaF-treated group. A mouse dental colonization model showed that repeated use of ClyR for 3 weeks (5 μg/day) reduced the number of colonized S. mutans cells in the dental plaques significantly (P < 0.05) and had no harmful effects on the mice. Furthermore, toxicity was not noted at concentrations exceeding those used for the in vitro and in vivo studies, and ClyR-specific antibodies could not be detected in mouse saliva after repeated use of ClyR in the oral cavity. Our data collectively demonstrate that ClyR is active against S. mutans biofilms both in vitro and in vivo, thus representing a preventative or therapeutic agent for use against dental caries.
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Carlucci C, Petrof EO, Allen-Vercoe E. Fecal Microbiota-based Therapeutics for Recurrent Clostridium difficile Infection, Ulcerative Colitis and Obesity. EBioMedicine 2016; 13:37-45. [PMID: 27720396 PMCID: PMC5264253 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2016.09.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2016] [Revised: 09/21/2016] [Accepted: 09/29/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The human gut microbiome is a complex ecosystem of fundamental importance to human health. Our increased understanding of gut microbial composition and functional interactions in health and disease states has spurred research efforts examining the gut microbiome as a valuable target for therapeutic intervention. This review provides updated insight into the state of the gut microbiome in recurrent Clostridium difficile infection (CDI), ulcerative colitis (UC), and obesity while addressing the rationale for the modulation of the gut microbiome using fecal microbiota transplant (FMT)-based therapies. Current microbiome-based therapeutics in pre-clinical or clinical development are discussed. We end by putting this within the context of the current regulatory framework surrounding FMT and related therapies. There is an increased understanding of gut microbial composition and functional interactions in health and disease states. FMT is effective for rCDI and has led to the development of fecal microbiota-based therapeutics for other indications. For stool-substitute therapies to enter mainstream medicine, further mechanistic studies, RCTs and regulations are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Carlucci
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada.
| | - Elaine O Petrof
- Division of Infectious Diseases/GI Diseases Research Unit Wing, Department of Medicine, Kingston General Hospital, Queen's University, 76 Stuart Street, Kingston, Ontario K7L 2V7, Canada.
| | - Emma Allen-Vercoe
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada.
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