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Wahid B, Tiwana MS. Bacteriophage-based bioassays: an expected paradigm shift in microbial diagnostics. Future Microbiol 2024; 19:811-824. [PMID: 38900594 PMCID: PMC11290765 DOI: 10.2217/fmb-2023-0246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophages, as abundant and specific agents, hold significant promise as a solution to combat the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance. Their unique ability to selectively lyse bacterial cells without harming humans makes them a compelling alternative to traditional antibiotics and point-of-care diagnostics. The article reviews the current landscape of diagnostic technologies, identify gaps and highlight emerging possibilities demonstrates a comprehensive approach to advancing clinical diagnosis of microbial pathogens and covers an overview of existing phage-based bioassays. Overall, the provided data in this review effectively communicates the potential of bacteriophages in transforming therapeutic and diagnostic paradigms, offering a holistic perspective on the benefits and opportunities they present in combating microbial infections and enhancing public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Braira Wahid
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton VIC Australia
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Li L, Zhang H, Jin H, Guo J, Liu P, Yang J, Wang Z, Zhang E, Yu B, Shi L, He J, Wang P, Wei J, Zhong Y, Li W. Identification and characterization of two Bacillus anthracis bacteriophages. Arch Virol 2024; 169:134. [PMID: 38834736 PMCID: PMC11150296 DOI: 10.1007/s00705-024-06005-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
Anthrax is an acute infectious zoonotic disease caused by Bacillus anthracis, a bacterium that is considered a potential biological warfare agent. Bacillus bacteriophages shape the composition and evolution of bacterial communities in nature and therefore have important roles in the ecosystem community. B. anthracis phages are not only used in etiological diagnostics but also have promising prospects in clinical therapeutics or for disinfection in anthrax outbreaks. In this study, two temperate B. anthracis phages, vB_BanS_A16R1 (A16R1) and vB_BanS_A16R4 (A16R4), were isolated and showed siphovirus-like morphological characteristics. Genome sequencing showed that the genomes of phages A16R1 and A16R4 are 36,569 bp and 40,059 bp in length, respectively. A16R1 belongs to the genus Wbetavirus, while A16R4 belongs to the genus Hubeivirus and is the first phage of that genus found to lyse B. anthracis. Because these two phages can comparatively specifically lyse B. anthracis, they could be used as alternative diagnostic tools for identification of B. anthracis infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lun Li
- Yunnan Institute for Endemic Disease Control and Prevention, Dali, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Control and Prevention, Dali, China
- School of Public Health, Dali University, Dali, China
- National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention (ICDC), China CDC, Beijing, China
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Huijuan Zhang
- National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention (ICDC), China CDC, Beijing, China
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Haixiao Jin
- National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention (ICDC), China CDC, Beijing, China
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Jin Guo
- National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention (ICDC), China CDC, Beijing, China
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Pan Liu
- Yunnan Institute for Endemic Disease Control and Prevention, Dali, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Control and Prevention, Dali, China
| | - Jiao Yang
- Yunnan Institute for Endemic Disease Control and Prevention, Dali, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Control and Prevention, Dali, China
| | - Zijian Wang
- Yunnan Institute for Endemic Disease Control and Prevention, Dali, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Control and Prevention, Dali, China
| | - Enmin Zhang
- National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention (ICDC), China CDC, Beijing, China
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Binbin Yu
- Yunnan Institute for Endemic Disease Control and Prevention, Dali, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Control and Prevention, Dali, China
| | - Liyuan Shi
- Yunnan Institute for Endemic Disease Control and Prevention, Dali, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Control and Prevention, Dali, China
| | - Jinrong He
- National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention (ICDC), China CDC, Beijing, China
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Peng Wang
- Yunnan Institute for Endemic Disease Control and Prevention, Dali, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Control and Prevention, Dali, China
| | - Jianchun Wei
- National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention (ICDC), China CDC, Beijing, China
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Youhong Zhong
- Yunnan Institute for Endemic Disease Control and Prevention, Dali, China.
- Yunnan Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Control and Prevention, Dali, China.
| | - Wei Li
- National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention (ICDC), China CDC, Beijing, China.
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China.
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Braun P, Rupprich N, Neif D, Grass G. Enzyme-Linked Phage Receptor Binding Protein Assays (ELPRA) Enable Identification of Bacillus anthracis Colonies. Viruses 2021; 13:1462. [PMID: 34452328 PMCID: PMC8402711 DOI: 10.3390/v13081462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 07/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophage receptor binding proteins (RBPs) are employed by viruses to recognize specific surface structures on bacterial host cells. Recombinant RBPs have been utilized for detection of several pathogens, typically as fusions with reporter enzymes or fluorescent proteins. Identification of Bacillus anthracis, the etiological agent of anthrax, can be difficult because of the bacterium's close relationship with other species of the Bacillus cereussensu lato group. Here, we facilitated the identification of B. anthracis using two implementations of enzyme-linked phage receptor binding protein assays (ELPRA). We developed a single-tube centrifugation assay simplifying the rapid analysis of suspect colonies. A second assay enables identification of suspect colonies from mixed overgrown solid (agar) media derived from the complex matrix soil. Thus, these tests identified vegetative cells of B. anthracis with little processing time and may support or confirm pathogen detection by molecular methods such as polymerase chain reaction.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Gregor Grass
- Department of Bacteriology and Toxinology, Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology (IMB), 80937 Munich, Germany; (P.B.); (N.R.); (D.N.)
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Salgado JRS, Rabinovitch L, Gomes MDFDS, Allil RCDSB, Werneck MM, Rodrigues RB, Picão RC, de Oliveira Luiz FB, Vivoni AM. Detection of Bacillus anthracis and Bacillus anthracis-like spores in soil from state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2020; 115:e200370. [PMID: 33174903 PMCID: PMC7646210 DOI: 10.1590/0074-02760200370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bacillus anthracis is the aetiologic agent of anthrax, a re-emerging, septicaemic, haemorrhagic and lethal disease that affects humans, domestic ruminants and wildlife. Plasmids pXO1 and pXO2 are attributes that confer pathogenicity to B. anthracis strains. This bacterium was used as biological weapon in the World Wars and in the biological attack in the United States of America at 2001. B. anthracis is classified as a Tier 1 bioterrorism agent by the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention. Anthrax is recognised as a re-emerging disease. Several studies concerning the dynamics of B. anthracis cycle in soil revealed that nonpathogenic B. anthracis strains due to lack of pXO2 plasmid are commonly found in some types of soil. OBJECTIVES This study aimed isolation and identification of B. anthracis spores in soil samples of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. METHODS Phenotypic and genotypic approaches were used to identify isolates including MALDI-TOF/MS, motility test, susceptibility to gamma phage and penicillin, survey for pag and cap genes as surrogates of pXO1 and pXO2 plasmids, respectively, and sequencing of 16SrRNA-encoding gene. Physicochemical analysis of the soil samples were carried out to describe soil characteristics. FINDINGS We observed the presence of one B. anthracis pXO1+ and pXO2- isolated from clay loam soil; one B. anthracis-like strain pXO1+ and pXO2-isolated from loamy sand; and 10 Bacillus spp. strains sensitive to phage-gamma that need better characterisation to define which their species were recovered from loamy sand. MAIN CONCLUSIONS This work showed promising results and it was the first study to report results from an active surveillance for B. anthracis in Brazil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline RS Salgado
- Exército Brasileiro, Instituto de Defesa Química, Biológica, Radiológica e Nuclear, Laboratório de Defesa Biológica, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - Leon Rabinovitch
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-Fiocruz, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Laboratório de Fisiologia Bacteriana/Laboratório de Referência Nacional para Carbúnculo, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - Maria de Fátima dos S Gomes
- Exército Brasileiro, Instituto de Defesa Química, Biológica, Radiológica e Nuclear, Laboratório de Defesa Biológica, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - Regina Celia da SB Allil
- Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto Alberto Luiz Coimbra de Pós-Graduação e Pesquisa de Engenharia, Laboratório de Instrumentação e Fotônica, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - Marcelo Martins Werneck
- Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto Alberto Luiz Coimbra de Pós-Graduação e Pesquisa de Engenharia, Laboratório de Instrumentação e Fotônica, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - Rafael B Rodrigues
- Exército Brasileiro, Instituto de Defesa Química, Biológica, Radiológica e Nuclear, Laboratório de Defesa Biológica, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - Renata C Picão
- Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - Fernanda Baptista de Oliveira Luiz
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-Fiocruz, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Laboratório de Fisiologia Bacteriana/Laboratório de Referência Nacional para Carbúnculo, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - Adriana M Vivoni
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-Fiocruz, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Laboratório de Fisiologia Bacteriana/Laboratório de Referência Nacional para Carbúnculo, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
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Rapid Microscopic Detection of Bacillus anthracis by Fluorescent Receptor Binding Proteins of Bacteriophages. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8060934. [PMID: 32575866 PMCID: PMC7356292 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8060934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Revised: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 06/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacillus anthracis, the etiological agent of anthrax disease, is typically diagnosed by immunological and molecular methods such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Alternatively, mass spectrometry techniques may aid in confirming the presence of the pathogen or its toxins. However, because of the close genetic relationship between B. anthracis and other members of the Bacillus cereus sensu lato group (such as Bacillus cereus or Bacillus thuringiensis) mis- or questionable identification occurs frequently. Also, bacteriophages such as phage gamma (which is highly specific for B. anthracis) have been in use for anthrax diagnostics for many decades. Here we employed host cell-specific receptor binding proteins (RBP) of (pro)-phages, also known as tail or head fibers, to develop a microscopy-based approach for the facile, rapid and unambiguous detection of B. anthracis cells. For this, the genes of (putative) RBP from Bacillus phages gamma, Wip1, AP50c and from lambdoid prophage 03 located on the chromosome of B. anthracis were selected. Respective phage genes were heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli and purified as fusions with fluorescent proteins. B. anthracis cells incubated with either of the reporter fusion proteins were successfully surface-labeled. Binding specificity was confirmed as RBP fusion proteins did not bind to most isolates of a panel of other B. cereus s.l. species or to more distantly related bacteria. Remarkably, RBP fusions detected encapsulated B. anthracis cells, thus RBP were able to penetrate the poly-γ-d-glutamate capsule of B. anthracis. From these results we anticipate this RBP-reporter assay may be useful for rapid confirmative identification of B. anthracis.
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Zasada AA. Detection and Identification of Bacillus anthracis: From Conventional to Molecular Microbiology Methods. Microorganisms 2020; 8:E125. [PMID: 31963339 PMCID: PMC7023132 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8010125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2019] [Revised: 01/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Rapid and reliable identification of Bacillus anthracis is of great importance, especially in the event of suspected deliberate release of anthrax spores. However, the identification of B. anthracis is challenging due to its high similarity to closely related species. Since Amerithrax in 2001, a lot of effort has been made to develop rapid methods for detection and identification of this microorganism with special focus on easy-to-perform rapid tests for first-line responders. This article presents an overview of the evolution of B. anthracis identification methods from the time of the first description of the microorganism until the present day.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandra A Zasada
- Department of Sera and Vaccines Evaluation, National Institute of Public Health-National Institute of Hygiene, Chocimska 24, 00-791 Warsaw, Poland
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Ajayeoba TA, Dula S, Ijabadeniyi OA. Properties of Poly-γ-Glutamic Acid Producing- Bacillus Species Isolated From Ogi Liquor and Lemon- Ogi Liquor. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:771. [PMID: 31057503 PMCID: PMC6481274 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.00771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2019] [Accepted: 03/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Poly-γ-glutamic acid (γPGA) is a natural and promising biopolymer synthesized by Bacillus spp. during fermentation. This study isolated Bacillus spp. from ogi steep liquor (OSL) and lemon-ogi steep liquor (LOSL) using standard methods and determined the γPGA-producing ability. The antimicrobial and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activities of γPGA polymer were evaluated and isolates were sequenced. Four isolates (TA004, TA006, TA011, TA012) selected based on phenotypic characterization and stickiness (<15 cm) showed antibacterial activity against different pathogens with the highest activity found in TA004 (22.5 mm) and least in TA011 (16.6 mm). Furthermore, time-kill assay showed that the combined γPGA polymer was more effective and demonstrated bactericidal activity over individual γPGA which are bacteriostatic in nature. All γPGA polymer exhibited ACE properties except TA011. The highest IC50 was observed in TA006 (0.11 mg/ml) and least in TA004 (0.35 mg/ml). TA004 had the highest molecular weight (261 kDa) while TA011 had the least (194.97 kDa). In addition, all γPGA exhibited characteristic peaks at 3413-3268 cm-1 and 1722-1664 cm-1 that corresponded to amine N-H stretching intensities and C = O stretching in COOH. Bacillus isolates were identified as TA004 (B. subtilis-GenBank: MH782061), TA006 (B. amyloliquefaciens- GenBank: MH782075), TA011 (B. subtilis- GenBank: MH782088), TA012 (B. subtilis- GenBank: MH782083). OSL and LOSL have the potential for developing functional foods with a valuable effect on health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Titilayo A. Ajayeoba
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Technology, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa
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