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Lyytinen OL, Dapuliga C, Wallinger D, Patpatia S, Audu BJ, Kiljunen SJ. Three novel Enterobacter cloacae bacteriophages for therapeutic use from Ghanaian natural waters. Arch Virol 2024; 169:156. [PMID: 38967872 PMCID: PMC11226500 DOI: 10.1007/s00705-024-06081-9] [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: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024]
Abstract
Infections caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria are a growing global concern. Enterobacter cloacae complex (ECC) species are particularly adept at developing antibiotic resistance. Phage therapy is proposed as an alternative treatment for pathogens that no longer respond to antibiotics. Unfortunately, ECC phages are understudied when compared to phages of many other bacterial species. In this Ghanaian-Finnish study, we isolated two ECC strains from ready-to-eat food samples and three novel phages from natural waters against these strains. We sequenced the genomic DNA of the novel Enterobacter phages, fGh-Ecl01, fGh-Ecl02, and fGh-Ecl04, and assessed their therapeutic potential. All of the phages were found to be lytic, easy to propagate, and lacking any toxic, integrase, or antibiotic resistance genes and were thus considered suitable for therapy purposes. They all were found to be related to T4-type viruses: fGh-Ecl01 and fGh-Ecl04 to karamviruses and fGh-Ecl02 to agtreviruses. Testing of Finnish clinical ECC strains showed promising susceptibility to these novel phages. As many as 61.1% of the strains were susceptible to fGh-Ecl01 and fGh-Ecl04, and 7.4% were susceptible to fGh-Ecl02. Finally, we investigated the susceptibility of the newly isolated ECC strains to three antibiotics - meropenem, ciprofloxacin, and cefepime - in combination with the novel phages. The use of phages and antibiotics together had synergistic effects. When using an antibiotic-phage combination, even low concentrations of antibiotics fully inhibited the growth of bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- O L Lyytinen
- Human Microbiome Research Program (HUMI), Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - C Dapuliga
- Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana
| | - D Wallinger
- Human Microbiome Research Program (HUMI), Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - S Patpatia
- Human Microbiome Research Program (HUMI), Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - B J Audu
- National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom, Nigeria
| | - S J Kiljunen
- Human Microbiome Research Program (HUMI), Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, HUSLAB, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
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2
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Woudstra C, Sørensen AN, Sørensen MCH, Brøndsted L. Strategies for developing phages into novel antimicrobial tailocins. Trends Microbiol 2024:S0966-842X(24)00069-6. [PMID: 38580606 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2024.03.003] [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: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
Tailocins are high-molecular-weight bacteriocins produced by bacteria to kill related environmental competitors by binding and puncturing their target. Tailocins are promising alternative antimicrobials, yet the diversity of naturally occurring tailocins is limited. The structural similarities between phage tails and tailocins advocate using phages as scaffolds for developing new tailocins. This article reviews three strategies for producing tailocins: disrupting the capsid-tail junction of phage particles, blocking capsid assembly during phage propagation, and creating headless phage particles synthetically. Particularly appealing is the production of tailocins through synthetic biology using phages with contractile tails as scaffolds to unlock the antimicrobial potential of tailocins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cedric Woudstra
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Anders Nørgaard Sørensen
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Martine C Holst Sørensen
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Lone Brøndsted
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg C, Denmark.
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3
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Harris EB, Ewool KKK, Bowden LC, Fierro J, Johnson D, Meinzer M, Tayler S, Grose JH. Genomic and Proteomic Analysis of Six Vi01-like Phages Reveals Wide Host Range and Multiple Tail Spike Proteins. Viruses 2024; 16:289. [PMID: 38400064 PMCID: PMC10892097 DOI: 10.3390/v16020289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Enterobacteriaceae is a large family of Gram-negative bacteria composed of many pathogens, including Salmonella and Shigella. Here, we characterize six bacteriophages that infect Enterobacteriaceae, which were isolated from wastewater plants in the Wasatch front (Utah, United States). These phages are highly similar to the Kuttervirus vB_SenM_Vi01 (Vi01), which was isolated using wastewater from Kiel, Germany. The phages vary little in genome size and are between 157 kb and 164 kb, which is consistent with the sizes of other phages in the Vi01-like phage family. These six phages were characterized through genomic and proteomic comparison, mass spectrometry, and both laboratory and clinical host range studies. While their proteomes are largely unstudied, mass spectrometry analysis confirmed the production of five hypothetical proteins, several of which unveiled a potential operon that suggests a ferritin-mediated entry system on the Vi01-like phage family tail. However, no dependence on this pathway was observed for the single host tested herein. While unable to infect every genus of Enterobacteriaceae tested, these phages are extraordinarily broad ranged, with several demonstrating the ability to infect Salmonella enterica and Citrobacter freundii strains with generally high efficiency, as well as several clinical Salmonella enterica isolates, most likely due to their multiple tail fibers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Julianne H. Grose
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84604, USA; (E.B.H.); (K.K.K.E.)
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4
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Sørensen AN, Kalmár D, Lutz VT, Klein-Sousa V, Taylor NMI, Sørensen MC, Brøndsted L. Agtrevirus phage AV101 recognizes four different O-antigens infecting diverse E. coli. MICROLIFE 2023; 5:uqad047. [PMID: 38234449 PMCID: PMC10791037 DOI: 10.1093/femsml/uqad047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
Bacteriophages in the Agtrevirus genus are known for expressing multiple tail spike proteins (TSPs), but little is known about their genetic diversity and host recognition apart from their ability to infect diverse Enterobacteriaceae species. Here, we aim to determine the genetic differences that may account for the diverse host ranges of Agrevirus phages. We performed comparative genomics of 14 Agtrevirus and identified only a few genetic differences including genes involved in nucleotide metabolism. Most notably was the diversity of the tsp gene cluster, specifically in the receptor-binding domains that were unique among most of the phages. We further characterized agtrevirus AV101 infecting nine diverse Extended Spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) Escherichia coli and demonstrated that this phage encoded four unique TSPs among Agtrevirus. Purified TSPs formed translucent zones and inhibited AV101 infection of specific hosts, demonstrating that TSP1, TSP2, TSP3, and TSP4 recognize O8, O82, O153, and O159 O-antigens of E. coli, respectively. BLASTp analysis showed that the receptor-binding domain of TSP1, TSP2, TSP3, and TSP4 are similar to TSPs encoded by E. coli prophages and distant related virulent phages. Thus, Agtrevirus may have gained their receptor-binding domains by recombining with prophages or virulent phages. Overall, combining bioinformatic and biological data expands the understanding of TSP host recognition of Agtrevirus and give new insight into the origin and acquisition of receptor-binding domains of Ackermannviridae phages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anders Nørgaard Sørensen
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Stigbøjlen 4, 1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Dorottya Kalmár
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Stigbøjlen 4, 1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Veronika Theresa Lutz
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Stigbøjlen 4, 1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Victor Klein-Sousa
- Structural Biology of Molecular Machines Group, Protein Structure & Function Program, Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Nicholas M I Taylor
- Structural Biology of Molecular Machines Group, Protein Structure & Function Program, Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Martine C Sørensen
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Stigbøjlen 4, 1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Lone Brøndsted
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Stigbøjlen 4, 1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
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5
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Abdelghafar A, El-Ganiny A, Shaker G, Askoura M. Isolation of a bacteriophage targeting Pseudomonas aeruginosa and exhibits a promising in vivo efficacy. AMB Express 2023; 13:79. [PMID: 37495819 PMCID: PMC10371947 DOI: 10.1186/s13568-023-01582-3] [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: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an important pathogen that causes serious infections. Bacterial biofilms are highly resistant and render bacterial treatment very difficult, therefore necessitates alternative antibacterial strategies. Phage therapy has been recently regarded as a potential therapeutic option for treatment of bacterial infections. In the current study, a novel podovirus vB_PaeP_PS28 has been isolated from sewage with higher lytic activity against P. aeruginosa. Isolated phage exhibits a short latent period, large burst size and higher stability over a wide range of temperatures and pH. The genome of vB_PaeP_PS28 consists of 72,283 bp circular double-stranded DNA, with G + C content of 54.75%. The phage genome contains 94 open reading frames (ORFs); 32 for known functional proteins and 62 for hypothetical proteins and no tRNA genes. The phage vB_PaeP_PS28 effectively inhibited the growth of P. aeruginosa planktonic cells and displayed a higher biofilm degrading capability. Moreover, therapeutic efficacy of isolated phage was evaluated in vivo using mice infection model. Interestingly, survival of mice infected with P. aeruginosa was significantly enhanced upon treatment with vB_PaeP_PS28. Furthermore, the bacterial load in liver and kidney isolated from mice infected with P. aeruginosa and treated with phage markedly decreased as compared with phage-untreated P. aeruginosa-infected mice. These findings support the efficacy of isolated phage vB_PaeP_PS28 in reducing P. aeruginosa colonization and pathogenesis in host. Importantly, the isolated phage vB_PaeP_PS28 could be applied alone or as combination therapy with other lytic phages as phage cocktail therapy or with antibiotics to limit infections caused by P. aeruginosa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aliaa Abdelghafar
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zagazig University, Zagazig, 44519, Egypt
| | - Amira El-Ganiny
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zagazig University, Zagazig, 44519, Egypt
| | - Ghada Shaker
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zagazig University, Zagazig, 44519, Egypt
| | - Momen Askoura
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zagazig University, Zagazig, 44519, Egypt.
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6
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Tailoring the Host Range of Ackermannviridae Bacteriophages through Chimeric Tailspike Proteins. Viruses 2023; 15:v15020286. [PMID: 36851500 PMCID: PMC9965104 DOI: 10.3390/v15020286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Host range is a major determinant in the industrial utility of a bacteriophage. A model host range permits broad recognition across serovars of a target bacterium while avoiding cross-reactivity with commensal microbiota. Searching for a naturally occurring bacteriophage with ideal host ranges is challenging, time-consuming, and restrictive. To address this, SPTD1.NL, a previously published luciferase reporter bacteriophage for Salmonella, was used to investigate manipulation of host range through receptor-binding protein engineering. Similar to related members of the Ackermannviridae bacteriophage family, SPTD1.NL possessed a receptor-binding protein gene cluster encoding four tailspike proteins, TSP1-4. Investigation of the native gene cluster through chimeric proteins identified TSP3 as the tailspike protein responsible for Salmonella detection. Further analysis of chimeric phages revealed that TSP2 contributed off-target Citrobacter recognition, whereas TSP1 and TSP4 were not essential for activity against any known host. To improve the host range of SPTD1.NL, TSP1 and TSP2 were sequentially replaced with chimeric receptor-binding proteins targeting Salmonella. This engineered construct, called RBP-SPTD1-3, was a superior diagnostic reporter, sensitively detecting additional Salmonella serovars while also demonstrating improved specificity. For industrial applications, bacteriophages of the Ackermannviridae family are thus uniquely versatile and may be engineered with multiple chimeric receptor-binding proteins to achieve a custom-tailored host range.
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7
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Zhu W, Ding Y, Huang C, Wang J, Wang J, Wang X. Genomic characterization of a novel bacteriophage STP55 revealed its prominent capacity in disrupting the dual-species biofilm formed by Salmonella Typhimurium and Escherichia coli O157: H7 strains. Arch Microbiol 2022; 204:597. [PMID: 36056994 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-022-03208-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2022] [Revised: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Salmonella and Escherichia coli are important foodborne pathogens, forming bacterial biofilms that contribute to their virulence, antimicrobial resistance, and survival on surfaces. Broad lytic phages are promising alternatives to conventional technologies for pathogen biocontrol and reducing biofilms. Herein, we isolated and characterized a novel polyvalent phage STP55 that not only lyse some serotypes of Salmonella, but also some E. coli strains. It had a wide range of pH (4-12) and thermal (30-60 °C) tolerances. The latent time was determined to be 10 min in the one-step growth experiment. Morphological observations by transmission electron microscopy and phylogenetic analysis using terminase gene classified STP55 to family Ackermannviridae in the order Caudovirales, with a complex tail structure. The genome was found to comprise 157,708 bp double-stranded DNA, with 44.57% GC content, 207 predicted ORFs and with no genes associated with antibiotic resistance, toxins, lysogeny, and virulence factors. Particularly, phage STP55 was able to inhibit single- and dual-species biofilms formation by S. Typhimurium ATCC 14028 and E. coli O157: H7, with a reduction percentage of 51.0%, 47.8% and 52.8%, respectively. Moreover, more than 65.0%, 72.9% and 46.2% of an established, single- and dual-species biofilms by S. Typhimurium ATCC 14028 and E. coli O157: H7 were removed after 8 h exposure to the phage STP55, respectively. The elimination effect of STP55 on dual-species biofilm formed on lettuce was further observed by SEM. Overall, our results demonstrated that STP55 is a promising antimicrobial against Salmonella and E. coli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjuan Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Environment Correlative Dietology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China.,College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Yifeng Ding
- College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Chenxi Huang
- College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Ji Wang
- College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Jia Wang
- Key Laboratory of Environment Correlative Dietology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China.,College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Xiaohong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Environment Correlative Dietology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China. .,College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China.
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8
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Yuanyuan N, Xiaobo Y, Shang W, Yutong Y, Hongrui Z, Chenyu L, Bin X, Xi Z, Chen Z, Zhiqiang S, Jingfeng W, Yun L, Pingfeng Y, Zhigang Q. Isolation and characterization of two homolog phages infecting Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:946251. [PMID: 35935197 PMCID: PMC9348578 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.946251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophages (phages) are capable of infecting specific bacteria, and therefore can be used as a biological control agent to control bacteria-induced animal, plant, and human diseases. In this study, two homolog phages (named PPAY and PPAT) that infect Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 were isolated and characterized. The results of the phage plaque assay showed that PPAT plaques were transparent dots, while the PPAY plaques were translucent dots with a halo. Transmission electron microscopy results showed that PPAT (65 nm) and PPAY (60 nm) strains are similar in size and have an icosahedral head and a short tail. Therefore, these belong to the short-tailed phage family Podoviridae. One-step growth curves revealed the latent period of 20 min and burst time of 30 min for PPAT and PPAY. The burst size of PPAT (953 PFUs/infected cell) was higher than that of PPAY (457 PFUs/infected cell). Also, the adsorption rate constant of PPAT (5.97 × 10−7 ml/min) was higher than that of PPAY (1.32 × 10−7 ml/min) at 5 min. Whole-genome sequencing of phages was carried out using the Illumina HiSeq platform. The genomes of PPAT and PPAY have 54,888 and 50,154 bp, respectively. Only 17 of the 352 predicted ORFs of PPAT could be matched to homologous genes of known function. Likewise, among the 351 predicted ORFs of PPAY, only 18 ORFs could be matched to genes of established functions. Homology and evolutionary analysis indicated that PPAT and PPAY are closely related to PA11. The presence of tail fiber proteins in PPAY but not in PPAT may have contributed to the halo effect of its plaque spots. In all, PPAT and PPAY, newly discovered P. aeruginosa phages, showed growth inhibitory effects on bacteria and can be used for research and clinical purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niu Yuanyuan
- College of Marine Ecology and Environment, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment and Food Safety, TianJin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Yang Xiaobo
- Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment and Food Safety, TianJin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Wang Shang
- Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment and Food Safety, TianJin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Yang Yutong
- Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment and Food Safety, TianJin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhou Hongrui
- Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment and Food Safety, TianJin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Li Chenyu
- Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment and Food Safety, TianJin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Xue Bin
- Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment and Food Safety, TianJin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhang Xi
- Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment and Food Safety, TianJin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhao Chen
- Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment and Food Safety, TianJin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Shen Zhiqiang
- Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment and Food Safety, TianJin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Wang Jingfeng
- Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment and Food Safety, TianJin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Ling Yun
- College of Marine Ecology and Environment, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Ling Yun,
| | - Yu Pingfeng
- College of Environment and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qiu Zhigang
- College of Marine Ecology and Environment, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment and Food Safety, TianJin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin, China
- Qiu Zhigang,
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9
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Characterization and complete genome analysis of a novel Escherichia phage, vB_EcoM-RPN242. Arch Virol 2022; 167:1675-1679. [DOI: 10.1007/s00705-022-05479-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2021] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
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10
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Carascal MB, dela Cruz-Papa DM, Remenyi R, Cruz MCB, Destura RV. Phage Revolution Against Multidrug-Resistant Clinical Pathogens in Southeast Asia. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:820572. [PMID: 35154059 PMCID: PMC8830912 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.820572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Southeast Asia (SEA) can be considered a hotspot of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) worldwide. As recent surveillance efforts in the region reported the emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens, the pursuit of therapeutic alternatives against AMR becomes a matter of utmost importance. Phage therapy, or the use of bacterial viruses called bacteriophages to kill bacterial pathogens, is among the standout therapeutic prospects. This narrative review highlights the current understanding of phages and strategies for a phage revolution in SEA. We define phage revolution as the radical use of phage therapy in infectious disease treatment against MDR infections, considering the scientific and regulatory standpoints of the region. We present a three-phase strategy to encourage a phage revolution in the SEA clinical setting, which involves: (1) enhancing phage discovery and characterization efforts, (2) creating and implementing laboratory protocols and clinical guidelines for the evaluation of phage activity, and (3) adapting regulatory standards for therapeutic phage formulations. We hope that this review will open avenues for scientific and policy-based discussions on phage therapy in SEA and eventually lead the way to its fullest potential in countering the threat of MDR pathogens in the region and worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark B. Carascal
- Clinical and Translational Research Institute, The Medical City, Pasig, Philippines
- Institute of Biology, College of Science, University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
| | - Donna May dela Cruz-Papa
- Clinical and Translational Research Institute, The Medical City, Pasig, Philippines
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines
- Research Center for Natural and Applied Sciences, University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines
| | - Roland Remenyi
- Clinical and Translational Research Institute, The Medical City, Pasig, Philippines
| | - Mely Cherrylynne B. Cruz
- Clinical and Translational Research Institute, The Medical City, Pasig, Philippines
- The Graduate School, University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines
| | - Raul V. Destura
- Clinical and Translational Research Institute, The Medical City, Pasig, Philippines
- National Institutes of Health, University of the Philippines Manila, Manila, Philippines
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11
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Sørensen AN, Woudstra C, Sørensen MCH, Brøndsted L. Subtypes of tail spike proteins predicts the host range of Ackermannviridae phages. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2021; 19:4854-4867. [PMID: 34527194 PMCID: PMC8432352 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2021.08.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Revised: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Phages belonging to the Ackermannviridae family encode up to four tail spike proteins (TSPs), each recognizing a specific receptor of their bacterial hosts. Here, we determined the TSPs diversity of 99 Ackermannviridae phages by performing a comprehensive in silico analysis. Based on sequence diversity, we assigned all TSPs into distinctive subtypes of TSP1, TSP2, TSP3 and TSP4, and found each TSP subtype to be specifically associated with the genera (Kuttervirus, Agtrevirus, Limestonevirus, Taipeivirus) of the Ackermannviridae family. Further analysis showed that the N-terminal XD1 and XD2 domains in TSP2 and TSP4, hinging the four TSPs together, are preserved. In contrast, the C-terminal receptor binding modules were only conserved within TSP subtypes, except for some Kuttervirus TSP1s and TSP3s that were similar to specific TSP4s. A conserved motif in TSP1, TSP3 and TSP4 of Kuttervirus phages may allow recombination between receptor binding modules, thus altering host recognition. The receptors for numerous uncharacterized phages expressing TSPs in the same subtypes were predicted using previous host range data. To validate our predictions, we experimentally determined the host recognition of three of the four TSPs expressed by kuttervirus S117. We confirmed that S117 TSP1 and TSP2 bind to their predicted host receptors, and identified the receptor for TSP3, which is shared by 51 other Kuttervirus phages. Kuttervirus phages were thus shown encode a vast genetic diversity of potentially exchangeable TSPs influencing host recognition. Overall, our study demonstrates that comprehensive in silico and host range analysis of TSPs can predict host recognition of Ackermannviridae phages.
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Key Words
- ANI, Average nucleotide identity
- Ackermannviridae family
- Bacteriophage
- CPS, Capsular polysaccharide
- EOP, Efficiency of plating
- Escherichia coli O:157
- Host range
- LB, Luria-Bertani
- LPS, Lipopolysaccharide
- NCBI, National Center for Biotechnology Information
- O-antigen
- ORF, Open reading frame
- PFU, Plaque formation unit
- RBP, Receptor binding protein
- Receptor-binding proteins
- Salmonella
- TSP, Tail spike protein
- Tail spike proteins
- VriC, Virulence-associated protein
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Affiliation(s)
- Anders Nørgaard Sørensen
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Stigbøjlen 4, 1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Cedric Woudstra
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Stigbøjlen 4, 1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Martine C Holst Sørensen
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Stigbøjlen 4, 1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Lone Brøndsted
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Stigbøjlen 4, 1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
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