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Aldeguer-Riquelme B, Conrad RE, Antón J, Rossello-Mora R, Konstantinidis KT. A natural ANI gap that can define intra-species units of bacteriophages and other viruses. mBio 2024:e0153624. [PMID: 39037288 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01536-24] [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: 06/11/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite the importance of intra-species variants of viruses for causing disease and/or disrupting ecosystem functioning, there is no universally applicable standard to define these. A (natural) gap in whole-genome average nucleotide identity (ANI) values around 95% is commonly used to define species, especially for bacteriophages, but whether a similar gap exists within species that can be used to define intra-species units has not been evaluated yet. Whole-genome comparisons among members of 1,016 bacteriophage (Caudoviricetes) species revealed a region of low frequency of ANI values around 99.2%-99.8%, showing threefold or fewer pairs than expected for an even distribution. This second gap is prevalent in viruses infecting various cultured or uncultured hosts from a variety of environments, although a few exceptions to this pattern were also observed (3.7% of total species) and are likely attributed to cultivation biases or other factors. Similar results were observed for a limited set of eukaryotic viruses that are adequately sampled, including SARS-CoV-2, whose ANI-based clusters matched well with the WHO-defined variants of concern, indicating that our findings from bacteriophages might be more broadly applicable and the ANI-based clusters may represent functionally and/or ecologically distinct units. These units appear to be predominantly driven by (high) ecological cohesiveness coupled to either frequent recombination for bacteriophages or selection and clonal evolution for other viruses such as SARS-CoV-2, indicating that fundamentally different underlying mechanisms could lead to similar diversity patterns. Accordingly, we propose the ANI gap approach outlined above for defining viral intra-species units, for which we propose the term genomovars. IMPORTANCE Viral species are composed of an ensemble of intra-species variants whose individual dynamics may have major implications for human and animal health and/or ecosystem functioning. However, the lack of universally accepted standards to define these intra-species variants has led researchers to use different approaches for this task, creating inconsistent intra-species units across different viral families and confusion in communication. By comparing hundreds of mostly bacteriophage genomes, we show that there is a widely distributed natural gap in whole-genome average nucleotide identity values in most, but not all, of these species that can be used to define intra-species units. Therefore, these results advance the molecular toolbox for tracking viral intra-species units and should facilitate future epidemiological and environmental studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Borja Aldeguer-Riquelme
- School of Civil & Environmental Engineering and School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Roth E Conrad
- School of Civil & Environmental Engineering and School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Josefa Antón
- Department of Physiology, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Alicante, San Vicente del Raspeig, Spain
| | - Ramon Rossello-Mora
- Marine Microbiology Group, Department of Animal and Microbial Biodiversity, Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies (IMEDEA, CSIC-UIB), Esporles, Spain
| | - Konstantinos T Konstantinidis
- School of Civil & Environmental Engineering and School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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de Melo AG, Morency C, Moineau S. Virulence-associated factors as targets for phage infection. Curr Opin Microbiol 2024; 79:102471. [PMID: 38569419 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2024.102471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
Bacterial pathogens can infect a wide range of hosts and pose a threat to public and animal health as well as to agriculture. The emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains has increased this risk by making the treatment of bacterial infections even more challenging. Pathogenic bacteria thrive in various ecological niches, but they can also be specifically targeted and killed by bacteriophages (phages). Lytic phages are now investigated and even used, in some cases, as alternatives or complements to antibiotics for preventing or treating bacterial infections (phage therapy). As such, it is key to identify factors responsible for phage specificity and efficiency. Here, we review recent advances in virulence-associated factors that are targeted by phages. We highlight components of the bacterial cell surface, effector systems, and motility structures exploited by phages and the effects of phages on cell aggregation and communication. We also look at the fitness trade-off of phage resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra G de Melo
- Département de biochimie, de microbiologie, et de bio-informatique, Faculté des sciences et de génie, Québec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Carlee Morency
- Département de biochimie, de microbiologie, et de bio-informatique, Faculté des sciences et de génie, Québec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Sylvain Moineau
- Département de biochimie, de microbiologie, et de bio-informatique, Faculté des sciences et de génie, Québec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada; Félix d'Hérelle Reference Center for Bacterial Viruses, Université Laval, Québec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada.
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3
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Schmidt AK, Schwartzkopf CM, Pourtois JD, Burgener EB, Faith DR, Joyce A, Lamma T, Kumar G, Bollyky PL, Secor PR. Targeted deletion of Pf prophages from diverse Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates has differential impacts on quorum sensing and virulence traits. J Bacteriol 2024; 206:e0040223. [PMID: 38687034 PMCID: PMC11112994 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00402-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic bacterial pathogen that commonly causes medical hardware, wound, and respiratory infections. Temperate filamentous Pf phages that infect P. aeruginosa impact numerous virulence phenotypes. Most work on Pf phages has focused on Pf4 and its host P. aeruginosa PAO1. Expanding from Pf4 and PAO1, this study explores diverse Pf phages infecting P. aeruginosa clinical isolates. We describe a simple technique targeting the Pf lysogeny maintenance gene, pflM (PA0718), that enables the effective elimination of Pf prophages from diverse P. aeruginosa hosts. The pflM gene shows diversity among different Pf phage isolates; however, all examined pflM alleles encode the DUF5447 domain. We demonstrate that pflM deletion results in prophage excision but not replication, leading to total prophage loss, indicating a role for lysis/lysogeny decisions for the DUF5447 domain. This study also assesses the effects different Pf phages have on host quorum sensing, biofilm formation, pigment production, and virulence against the bacterivorous nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. We find that Pf phages have strain-specific impacts on quorum sensing and biofilm formation, but nearly all suppress pigment production and increase C. elegans avoidance behavior. Collectively, this research not only introduces a valuable tool for Pf prophage elimination from diverse P. aeruginosa isolates but also advances our understanding of the complex relationship between P. aeruginosa and filamentous Pf phages.IMPORTANCEPseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic bacterial pathogen that is frequently infected by filamentous Pf phages (viruses) that integrate into its chromosome, affecting behavior. Although prior work has focused on Pf4 and PAO1, this study investigates diverse Pf in clinical isolates. A simple method targeting the deletion of the Pf lysogeny maintenance gene pflM (PA0718) effectively eliminates Pf prophages from clinical isolates. The research evaluates the impact Pf prophages have on bacterial quorum sensing, biofilm formation, and virulence phenotypes. This work introduces a valuable tool to eliminate Pf prophages from clinical isolates and advances our understanding of P. aeruginosa and filamentous Pf phage interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amelia K. Schmidt
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA
| | | | - Julie D. Pourtois
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Elizabeth B. Burgener
- Division of Pediatric Pulmonology and Sleep Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Center for Excellence in Pulmonary Biology, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Dominick R. Faith
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA
| | - Alex Joyce
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA
| | - Tyrza Lamma
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA
| | - Geetha Kumar
- School of Biotechnology, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Amritapuri, Kerala, India
| | - Paul L. Bollyky
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Patrick R. Secor
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA
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4
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David A, Tahrioui A, Duchesne R, Tareau AS, Maillot O, Barreau M, Feuilloley MGJ, Lesouhaitier O, Cornelis P, Bouffartigues E, Chevalier S. Membrane fluidity homeostasis is required for tobramycin-enhanced biofilm in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0230323. [PMID: 38411953 PMCID: PMC10986583 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02303-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen, which causes chronic infections, especially in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients where it colonizes the lungs via the build-up of biofilms. Tobramycin, an aminoglycoside, is often used to treat P. aeruginosa infections in CF patients. Tobramycin at sub-minimal inhibitory concentrations enhances both biofilm biomass and thickness in vitro; however, the mechanism(s) involved are still unknown. Herein, we show that tobramycin increases the expression and activity of SigX, an extracytoplasmic sigma factor known to be involved in the biosynthesis of membrane lipids and membrane fluidity homeostasis. The biofilm enhancement by tobramycin is not observed in a sigX mutant, and the sigX mutant displays increased membrane stiffness. Remarkably, the addition of polysorbate 80 increases membrane fluidity of sigX-mutant cells in biofilm, restoring the tobramycin-enhanced biofilm formation. Our results suggest the involvement of membrane fluidity homeostasis in biofilm development upon tobramycin exposure.IMPORTANCEPrevious studies have shown that sub-lethal concentrations of tobramycin led to an increase biofilm formation in the case of infections with the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We show that the mechanism involved in this phenotype relies on the cell envelope stress response, triggered by the extracytoplasmic sigma factor SigX. This phenotype was abolished in a sigX-mutant strain. Remarkably, we show that increasing the membrane fluidity of the mutant strain is sufficient to restore the effect of tobramycin. Altogether, our data suggest the involvement of membrane fluidity homeostasis in biofilm development upon tobramycin exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audrey David
- Unité de recherche Communication Bactérienne et Stratégies Anti-infectieuses, CBSA UR4312, Université de Rouen Normandie, Normandie Université, Evreux, France
- Fédération de Recherche Normande Sécurité Sanitaire, bien être, Aliment Durable (SéSAD), Evreux, France
| | - Ali Tahrioui
- Unité de recherche Communication Bactérienne et Stratégies Anti-infectieuses, CBSA UR4312, Université de Rouen Normandie, Normandie Université, Evreux, France
- Fédération de Recherche Normande Sécurité Sanitaire, bien être, Aliment Durable (SéSAD), Evreux, France
| | - Rachel Duchesne
- Unité de recherche Communication Bactérienne et Stratégies Anti-infectieuses, CBSA UR4312, Université de Rouen Normandie, Normandie Université, Evreux, France
- Fédération de Recherche Normande Sécurité Sanitaire, bien être, Aliment Durable (SéSAD), Evreux, France
| | - Anne-Sophie Tareau
- Unité de recherche Communication Bactérienne et Stratégies Anti-infectieuses, CBSA UR4312, Université de Rouen Normandie, Normandie Université, Evreux, France
- Fédération de Recherche Normande Sécurité Sanitaire, bien être, Aliment Durable (SéSAD), Evreux, France
| | - Olivier Maillot
- Unité de recherche Communication Bactérienne et Stratégies Anti-infectieuses, CBSA UR4312, Université de Rouen Normandie, Normandie Université, Evreux, France
- Fédération de Recherche Normande Sécurité Sanitaire, bien être, Aliment Durable (SéSAD), Evreux, France
| | - Magalie Barreau
- Unité de recherche Communication Bactérienne et Stratégies Anti-infectieuses, CBSA UR4312, Université de Rouen Normandie, Normandie Université, Evreux, France
- Fédération de Recherche Normande Sécurité Sanitaire, bien être, Aliment Durable (SéSAD), Evreux, France
| | - Marc G. J. Feuilloley
- Unité de recherche Communication Bactérienne et Stratégies Anti-infectieuses, CBSA UR4312, Université de Rouen Normandie, Normandie Université, Evreux, France
- Fédération de Recherche Normande Sécurité Sanitaire, bien être, Aliment Durable (SéSAD), Evreux, France
| | - Olivier Lesouhaitier
- Unité de recherche Communication Bactérienne et Stratégies Anti-infectieuses, CBSA UR4312, Université de Rouen Normandie, Normandie Université, Evreux, France
- Fédération de Recherche Normande Sécurité Sanitaire, bien être, Aliment Durable (SéSAD), Evreux, France
| | - Pierre Cornelis
- Unité de recherche Communication Bactérienne et Stratégies Anti-infectieuses, CBSA UR4312, Université de Rouen Normandie, Normandie Université, Evreux, France
- Fédération de Recherche Normande Sécurité Sanitaire, bien être, Aliment Durable (SéSAD), Evreux, France
| | - Emeline Bouffartigues
- Unité de recherche Communication Bactérienne et Stratégies Anti-infectieuses, CBSA UR4312, Université de Rouen Normandie, Normandie Université, Evreux, France
- Fédération de Recherche Normande Sécurité Sanitaire, bien être, Aliment Durable (SéSAD), Evreux, France
| | - Sylvie Chevalier
- Unité de recherche Communication Bactérienne et Stratégies Anti-infectieuses, CBSA UR4312, Université de Rouen Normandie, Normandie Université, Evreux, France
- Fédération de Recherche Normande Sécurité Sanitaire, bien être, Aliment Durable (SéSAD), Evreux, France
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Popescu MC, Haddock NL, Burgener EB, Rojas-Hernandez LS, Kaber G, Hargil A, Bollyky PL, Milla CE. The Inovirus Pf4 Triggers Antiviral Responses and Disrupts the Proliferation of Airway Basal Epithelial Cells. Viruses 2024; 16:165. [PMID: 38275975 PMCID: PMC10818373 DOI: 10.3390/v16010165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2024] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The inovirus Pf4 is a lysogenic bacteriophage of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Pa). People with Cystic Fibrosis (pwCF) experience chronic airway infection with Pa and a significant proportion have high numbers of Pf4 in their airway secretions. Given the known severe damage in the airways of Pa-infected pwCF, we hypothesized a high Pf4 burden can affect airway healing and inflammatory responses. In the airway, basal epithelial cells (BCs) are a multipotent stem cell population critical to epithelium homeostasis and repair. We sought to investigate the transcriptional responses of BCs under conditions that emulate infection with Pa and exposure to high Pf4 burden. METHODS Primary BCs isolated from pwCF and wild-type (WT) donors were cultured in vitro and exposed to Pf4 or bacterial Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) followed by transcriptomic and functional assays. RESULTS We found that BCs internalized Pf4 and this elicits a strong antiviral response as well as neutrophil chemokine production. Further, we found that BCs that take up Pf4 demonstrate defective migration and proliferation. CONCLUSIONS Our findings are highly suggestive of Pf4 playing a role in the pathogenicity of Pa in the airways. These findings provide additional evidence for the ability of inoviruses to interact with mammalian cells and disrupt cell function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Medeea C. Popescu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA (P.L.B.)
- Immunology Program, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Naomi L. Haddock
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA (P.L.B.)
- Immunology Program, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Elizabeth B. Burgener
- Center for Excellence in Pulmonary Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Laura S. Rojas-Hernandez
- Center for Excellence in Pulmonary Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Gernot Kaber
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA (P.L.B.)
| | - Aviv Hargil
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA (P.L.B.)
| | - Paul L. Bollyky
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA (P.L.B.)
| | - Carlos E. Milla
- Center for Excellence in Pulmonary Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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Higazy D, Pham AD, van Hasselt C, Høiby N, Jelsbak L, Moser C, Ciofu O. In vivo evolution of antimicrobial resistance in a biofilm model of Pseudomonas aeruginosa lung infection. THE ISME JOURNAL 2024; 18:wrae036. [PMID: 38478426 PMCID: PMC10980832 DOI: 10.1093/ismejo/wrae036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 02/10/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/01/2024]
Abstract
The evolution of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in biofilms has been repeatedly studied by experimental evolution in vitro, but rarely in vivo. The complex microenvironment at the infection site imposes selective pressures on the bacterial biofilms, potentially influencing the development of AMR. We report here the development of AMR in an in vivo mouse model of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm lung infection. The P. aeruginosa embedded in seaweed alginate beads underwent four successive lung infection passages with or without ciprofloxacin (CIP) exposure. The development of CIP resistance was assessed at each passage by population analysis of the bacterial populations recovered from the lungs of CIP-treated and control mice, with subsequent whole-genome sequencing of selected isolates. As inflammation plays a crucial role in shaping the microenvironment at the infection site, its impact was explored through the measurement of cytokine levels in the lung homogenate. A rapid development of AMR was observed starting from the second passage in the CIP-treated mice. Genetic analysis revealed mutations in nfxB, efflux pumps (mexZ), and two-component systems (parS) contribution to CIP resistance. The control group isolates exhibited mutations in the dipA gene, likely associated with biofilm dispersion. In the initial two passages, the CIP-treated group exhibited an elevated inflammatory response compared to the control group. This increase may potentially contribute to the release of mutagenic reactive oxygen species and the development of AMR. In conclusion, this study illustrates the complex relationship between infection, antibiotic treatment, and immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doaa Higazy
- Costerton Biofilm Center, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, 2200 N Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, 12613 Giza, Egypt
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Ø Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Anh Duc Pham
- Division of Systems Pharmacology & Pharmacy, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Coen van Hasselt
- Division of Systems Pharmacology & Pharmacy, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Niels Høiby
- Costerton Biofilm Center, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, 2200 N Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Ø Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Lars Jelsbak
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Claus Moser
- Costerton Biofilm Center, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, 2200 N Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Ø Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Oana Ciofu
- Costerton Biofilm Center, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, 2200 N Copenhagen, Denmark
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Prokopczuk FI, Im H, Campos-Gomez J, Orihuela CJ, Martínez E. Engineered Superinfective Pf Phage Prevents Dissemination of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a Mouse Burn Model. mBio 2023; 14:e0047223. [PMID: 37039641 PMCID: PMC10294672 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00472-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Pf is a filamentous bacteriophage integrated in the chromosome of most clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Under stress conditions, mutations occurring in the Pf genome result in the emergence of superinfective variants of Pf (SI-Pf) that are capable of circumventing phage immunity; therefore, SI-Pf can even infect Pf-lysogenized P. aeruginosa. Here, we identified specific mutations located between the repressor and the excisionase genes of Pf4 phage in the P. aeruginosa PAO1 strain that resulted in the emergence of SI-Pf. Based on these findings, we genetically engineered an SI-Pf (eSI-Pf) and tested it as a phage therapy tool for the treatment of life-threatening burn wound infections caused by PAO1. In validation experiments, eSI-Pf was able to infect PAO1 grown in a lawn as well as biofilms formed in vitro on polystyrene. eSI-Pf also infected PAO1 present in burned skin wounds on mice but was not capable of maintaining a sustained reduction in bacterial burden beyond 24 h. Despite not lowering bacterial burden in burned skin tissue, eSI-Pf treatment completely abolished the capability of P. aeruginosa to disseminate from the burn site to internal organs. Over the course of 10 days, this resulted in bacterial clearance and survival of all treated mice. We subsequently determined that eSI-Pf induced a small-colony variant of P. aeruginosa that was unable to disseminate systemically. This attenuated phenotype was due to profound changes in virulence determinant production and altered physiology. Our results suggest that eSI-Pf has potential as a phage therapy against highly recalcitrant antimicrobial-resistant P. aeruginosa infections of burn wounds. IMPORTANCE Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a major cause of burn-related infections. It is also the most likely bacterial infection to advance to sepsis and result in burn-linked death. Frequently, P. aeruginosa strains isolated from burn patients display a multidrug-resistant phenotype necessitating the development of new therapeutic strategies and prophylactic treatments. In this context, phage therapy using lytic phages has demonstrated exciting potential in the control P. aeruginosa infection. However, lytic phages can present a set of drawbacks during phage therapy, including the induction of bacterial resistance and limited bacteria-phage interactions in vivo. Here, we propose an alternative approach to interfere with P. aeruginosa pathogenesis in a burn infection model, i.e., by using an engineered superinfective filamentous phage. Our study demonstrates that treatment with the engineered Pf phage can prevent sepsis and death in a burn mouse model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico I. Prokopczuk
- Department of Microbiology, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Hansol Im
- Department of Microbiology, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Javier Campos-Gomez
- Cystic Fibrosis Research Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Carlos J. Orihuela
- Department of Microbiology, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Eriel Martínez
- Department of Microbiology, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
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