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Greenrod STE, Cazares D, Johnson S, Hector TE, Stevens EJ, MacLean RC, King KC. Warming alters life-history traits and competition in a phage community. Appl Environ Microbiol 2024; 90:e0028624. [PMID: 38624196 PMCID: PMC11107170 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00286-24] [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: 02/17/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Host-parasite interactions are highly susceptible to changes in temperature due to mismatches in species thermal responses. In nature, parasites often exist in communities, and responses to temperature are expected to vary between host-parasite pairs. Temperature change thus has consequences for both host-parasite dynamics and parasite-parasite interactions. Here, we investigate the impact of warming (37°C, 40°C, and 42°C) on parasite life-history traits and competition using the opportunistic bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa (host) and a panel of three genetically diverse lytic bacteriophages (parasites). We show that phages vary in their responses to temperature. While 37°C and 40°C did not have a major effect on phage infectivity, infection by two phages was restricted at 42°C. This outcome was attributed to disruption of different phage life-history traits including host attachment and replication inside hosts. Furthermore, we show that temperature mediates competition between phages by altering their competitiveness. These results highlight phage trait variation across thermal regimes with the potential to drive community dynamics. Our results have important implications for eukaryotic viromes and the design of phage cocktail therapies.IMPORTANCEMammalian hosts often elevate their body temperatures through fevers to restrict the growth of bacterial infections. However, the extent to which fever temperatures affect the communities of phages with the ability to parasitize those bacteria remains unclear. In this study, we investigate the impact of warming across a fever temperature range (37°C, 40°C, and 42°C) on phage life-history traits and competition using a bacterium (host) and bacteriophage (parasite) system. We show that phages vary in their responses to temperature due to disruption of different phage life-history traits. Furthermore, we show that temperature can alter phage competitiveness and shape phage-phage competition outcomes. These results suggest that fever temperatures have the potential to restrict phage infectivity and drive phage community dynamics. We discuss implications for the role of temperature in shaping host-parasite interactions more widely.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Daniel Cazares
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Serena Johnson
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Tobias E. Hector
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Emily J. Stevens
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - R. Craig MacLean
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Kayla C. King
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
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Rafiei S, Bouzari M. Genomic analysis of vB_PaS-HSN4 bacteriophage and its antibacterial activity (in vivo and in vitro) against Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from burn. Sci Rep 2024; 14:2007. [PMID: 38263187 PMCID: PMC10805781 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-50916-5] [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: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The most frequent infections caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa are local infections in soft tissues, including burns. Today, phage use is considered a suitable alternative to cure infections caused by multi-drug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) bacteria. We investigated the potential of a novel phage (vB_PaS-HSN4) belonging to Caudoviricetes class, against XDR and MDR P. aeruginosa strains in vivo and in vitro. Its biological and genetic characteristics were investigated. The phage burst size and latent were 119 and 20 min, respectively. It could tolerate a broad range of salt concentrations, pH values, and temperatures. The combination with ciprofloxacin significantly enhanced biofilm removal after 24 h. The genome was dsDNA with a size of 44,534 bp and encoded 61 ORFs with 3 tRNA and 5 promoters. No virulence factor was observed in the phage genome. In the in vivo infection model, treatment with vB_PaS-HSN4 increased Galleria mellonella larvae survival (80%, 66%, and 60%) (MOI 100) and (60%, 40%, and 26%) (MOI 1) in the pre-treatment, co-treatment, and post-treatment experiments, respectively. Based on these characteristics, it can be considered for the cure of infections of burns caused by P. aeruginosa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Solmaz Rafiei
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Science and Technology, University of Isfahan, Hezar-Jereeb Street, Isfahan, 81746-73441, Iran
| | - Majid Bouzari
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Science and Technology, University of Isfahan, Hezar-Jereeb Street, Isfahan, 81746-73441, Iran.
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Scoffone VC, Barbieri G, Irudal S, Trespidi G, Buroni S. New Antimicrobial Strategies to Treat Multi-Drug Resistant Infections Caused by Gram-Negatives in Cystic Fibrosis. Antibiotics (Basel) 2024; 13:71. [PMID: 38247630 PMCID: PMC10812592 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics13010071] [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: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
People with cystic fibrosis (CF) suffer from recurrent bacterial infections which induce inflammation, lung tissue damage and failure of the respiratory system. Prolonged exposure to combinatorial antibiotic therapies triggers the appearance of multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacteria. The development of alternative antimicrobial strategies may provide a way to mitigate antimicrobial resistance. Here we discuss different alternative approaches to the use of classic antibiotics: anti-virulence and anti-biofilm compounds which exert a low selective pressure; phage therapies that represent an alternative strategy with a high therapeutic potential; new methods helping antibiotics activity such as adjuvants; and antimicrobial peptides and nanoparticle formulations. Their mechanisms and in vitro and in vivo efficacy are described, in order to figure out a complete landscape of new alternative approaches to fight MDR Gram-negative CF pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Silvia Buroni
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology “Lazzaro Spallanzani”, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (V.C.S.); (G.B.); (S.I.); (G.T.)
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Abedon ST. Automating Predictive Phage Therapy Pharmacology. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:1423. [PMID: 37760719 PMCID: PMC10525195 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12091423] [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: 07/30/2023] [Revised: 09/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Viruses that infect as well as often kill bacteria are called bacteriophages, or phages. Because of their ability to act bactericidally, phages increasingly are being employed clinically as antibacterial agents, an infection-fighting strategy that has been in practice now for over one hundred years. As with antibacterial agents generally, the development as well as practice of this phage therapy can be aided via the application of various quantitative frameworks. Therefore, reviewed here are considerations of phage multiplicity of infection, bacterial likelihood of becoming adsorbed as a function of phage titers, bacterial susceptibility to phages also as a function of phage titers, and the use of Poisson distributions to predict phage impacts on bacteria. Considered in addition is the use of simulations that can take into account both phage and bacterial replication. These various approaches can be automated, i.e., by employing a number of online-available apps provided by the author, the use of which this review emphasizes. In short, the practice of phage therapy can be aided by various mathematical approaches whose implementation can be eased via online automation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen T Abedon
- Department of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, Mansfield, OH 44906, USA
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Shariati A, Noei M, Chegini Z. Bacteriophages: The promising therapeutic approach for enhancing ciprofloxacin efficacy against bacterial infection. J Clin Lab Anal 2023:e24932. [PMID: 37377167 PMCID: PMC10388223 DOI: 10.1002/jcla.24932] [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: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The emergence of ciprofloxacin-resistant bacteria is a serious challenge worldwide, bringing the need to find new approaches to manage this bacterium. Bacteriophages (phages) have been shown inhibitory effects against ciprofloxacin-resistance bacteria; thus, ciprofloxacin resistance or tolerance may not affect the phage's infection ability. Additionally, researchers used phage-ciprofloxacin combination therapy for the inhibition of multidrug-resistant bacteria. RESULTS The sublethal concentrations of ciprofloxacin could lead to an increase in progeny production. Antibiotic treatments could enhance the release of progeny phages by shortening the lytic cycle and latent period. Thus, sublethal concentrations of antibiotics combined with phages can be used for the management of bacterial infections with high antibiotic resistance. In addition, combination therapy exerts various selection pressures that can mutually decrease phage and antibiotic resistance. Moreover, phage ciprofloxacin could significantly reduce bacterial counts in the biofilm community. Immediate usage of phages after the attachment of bacteria to the surface of the flow cells, before the development of micro-colonies, could lead to the best effect of phage therapy against bacterial biofilm. Noteworthy, phage should be used before antibiotics usage because this condition may have allowed phage replication to occur first before ciprofloxacin interrupted the bacterial DNA replication process, thereby interfering with the activity of the phages. Furthermore, the phage-ciprofloxacin combination showed a promising result for the management of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections in mouse models. Nevertheless, low data are existing about the interaction between phages and ciprofloxacin in combination therapies, especially regarding the emergence of phage-resistant mutants. Additionally, there is a challenging and important question of how the combined ciprofloxacin with phages can increase antibacterial functions. Therefore, more examinations are required to support the clinical usage of phage-ciprofloxacin combination therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aref Shariati
- Molecular and Medicine Research Centre, Khomein University of Medical Sciences, Khomein, Iran
| | - Milad Noei
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Advanced Science and Technology, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Zahra Chegini
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
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Santamaría-Corral G, Senhaji-Kacha A, Broncano-Lavado A, Esteban J, García-Quintanilla M. Bacteriophage-Antibiotic Combination Therapy against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:1089. [PMID: 37508185 PMCID: PMC10376841 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12071089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Phage therapy is an alternative therapy that is being used as the last resource against infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria after the failure of standard treatments. Pseudomonas aeruginosa can cause pneumonia, septicemia, urinary tract, and surgery site infections mainly in immunocompromised people, although it can cause infections in many different patient profiles. Cystic fibrosis patients are particularly vulnerable. In vitro and in vivo studies of phage therapy against P. aeruginosa include both bacteriophages alone and combined with antibiotics. However, the former is the most promising strategy utilized in clinical infections. This review summarizes the recent studies of phage-antibiotic combinations, highlighting the synergistic effects of in vitro and in vivo experiments and successful treatments in patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Abrar Senhaji-Kacha
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, IIS-Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Av. Reyes Católicos 2, 28040 Madrid, Spain
- CIBERINFEC-Infectious Diseases CIBER, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Antonio Broncano-Lavado
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, IIS-Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Av. Reyes Católicos 2, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Jaime Esteban
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, IIS-Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Av. Reyes Católicos 2, 28040 Madrid, Spain
- CIBERINFEC-Infectious Diseases CIBER, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Meritxell García-Quintanilla
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, IIS-Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Av. Reyes Católicos 2, 28040 Madrid, Spain
- CIBERINFEC-Infectious Diseases CIBER, 28029 Madrid, Spain
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Ruemke S, Rubalskii E, Salmoukas C, Hermes K, Natanov R, Kaufeld T, Gryshkov O, Mutsenko V, Rubalsky M, Burgwitz K, Glasmacher B, Haverich A, Rustum S, Kuehn C. Combination of Bacteriophages and Antibiotics for Prevention of Vascular Graft Infections-An In Vitro Study. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:ph16050744. [PMID: 37242527 DOI: 10.3390/ph16050744] [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: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: Implant-associated bacterial infections are usually hard to treat conservatively due to the resistance and tolerance of the pathogens to conventional antimicrobial therapy. Bacterial colonization of vascular grafts may lead to life-threatening conditions such as sepsis. The objective of this study is to evaluate whether conventional antibiotics and bacteriophages can reliably prevent the bacterial colonization of vascular grafts. (2) Methods: Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial infections were simulated on samples of woven PET gelatin-impregnated grafts using Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli strains, respectively. The ability to prevent colonization was evaluated for a mixture of broad-spectrum antibiotics, for strictly lytic species-specific bacteriophage strains, and for a combination of both. All the antimicrobial agents were conventionally tested in order to prove the sensitivity of the used bacterial strains. Furthermore, the substances were used in a liquid form or in combination with a fibrin glue. (3) Results: Despite their strictly lytic nature, the application of bacteriophages alone was not enough to protect the graft samples from both bacteria. The singular application of antibiotics, both with and without fibrin glue, showed a protective effect against S. aureus (0 CFU/cm2), but was not sufficient against E. coli without fibrin glue (M = 7.18 × 104 CFU/cm2). In contrast, the application of a combination of antibiotics and phages showed complete eradication of both bacteria after a single inoculation. The fibrin glue hydrogel provided an increased protection against repetitive exposure to S. aureus (p = 0.05). (4) Conclusions: The application of antibacterial combinations of antibiotics and bacteriophages is an effective approach to the prevention of bacteria-induced vascular graft infections in clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Ruemke
- Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Transplantation and Vascular Surgery, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
- Lower Saxony Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Implant Research and Development, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Evgenii Rubalskii
- Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Transplantation and Vascular Surgery, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
- Lower Saxony Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Implant Research and Development, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Christina Salmoukas
- Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Transplantation and Vascular Surgery, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
- Lower Saxony Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Implant Research and Development, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Kristina Hermes
- Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Transplantation and Vascular Surgery, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
- Lower Saxony Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Implant Research and Development, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Ruslan Natanov
- Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Transplantation and Vascular Surgery, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Tim Kaufeld
- Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Transplantation and Vascular Surgery, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Oleksandr Gryshkov
- Lower Saxony Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Implant Research and Development, 30625 Hannover, Germany
- Institute for Multiphase Processes, Leibniz University Hannover, 30823 Garbsen, Germany
| | - Vitalii Mutsenko
- Lower Saxony Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Implant Research and Development, 30625 Hannover, Germany
- Institute for Multiphase Processes, Leibniz University Hannover, 30823 Garbsen, Germany
| | - Maxim Rubalsky
- Department of Microbiology and Virology, Astrakhan State Medical University, 414000 Astrakhan, Russia
| | - Karin Burgwitz
- Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Transplantation and Vascular Surgery, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
- Lower Saxony Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Implant Research and Development, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Birgit Glasmacher
- Lower Saxony Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Implant Research and Development, 30625 Hannover, Germany
- Institute for Multiphase Processes, Leibniz University Hannover, 30823 Garbsen, Germany
| | - Axel Haverich
- Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Transplantation and Vascular Surgery, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
- Lower Saxony Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Implant Research and Development, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Saad Rustum
- Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Transplantation and Vascular Surgery, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Christian Kuehn
- Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Transplantation and Vascular Surgery, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
- Lower Saxony Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Implant Research and Development, 30625 Hannover, Germany
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Hasan M, Dawan J, Ahn J. Assessment of the potential of phage-antibiotic synergy to induce collateral sensitivity in Salmonella Typhimurium. Microb Pathog 2023; 180:106134. [PMID: 37150310 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2023.106134] [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: 04/02/2023] [Revised: 04/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
This study was designed to evaluate the synergistic effect of phage and antibiotic on the induction of collateral sensitivity in Salmonella Typhimurium. The synergistic effects of Salmonella phage PBST32 combined with ciprofloxacin (CIP) against S. Typhimurium KCCM 40253 (STKCCM) were evaluated using a fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) assay. The CIP susceptibility of STKCCM was increased when combined with PBST32, showing 16-fold decrease at 7 log PFU/mL. The combination of 1/2 × MIC of CIP and PBST32 (CIP[1/2]+PBST32) effectively inhibited the growth of STKCCM up to below the detection limit (1.3 log CFU/mL) after 12 h of incubation at 37 °C. The significant reduction in bacterial swimming motility was observed for PBST32 and CIP[1/4]+PBST32. The CIP[1/4]+PBST32 increased the fitness cost (relative fitness = 0.57) and decreased the cross-resistance to different classes of antibiotics. STKCCM treated with PBST32 alone treatment exhibited the highest coefficient of variation (90%), followed by CIP[1/4]+PBST32 (75%). These results suggest that the combination of PBST32 and CIP can be used to control bacterial pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahadi Hasan
- Department of Biomedical Science, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Gangwon, 24341, Republic of Korea
| | - Jirapat Dawan
- Department of Biomedical Science, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Gangwon, 24341, Republic of Korea
| | - Juhee Ahn
- Department of Biomedical Science, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Gangwon, 24341, Republic of Korea; Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Gangwon, 24341, Republic of Korea.
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Petrovic Fabijan A, Iredell J, Danis-Wlodarczyk K, Kebriaei R, Abedon ST. Translating phage therapy into the clinic: Recent accomplishments but continuing challenges. PLoS Biol 2023; 21:e3002119. [PMID: 37220114 PMCID: PMC10204993 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Phage therapy is a medical form of biological control of bacterial infections, one that uses naturally occurring viruses, called bacteriophages or phages, as antibacterial agents. Pioneered over 100 years ago, phage therapy nonetheless is currently experiencing a resurgence in interest, with growing numbers of clinical case studies being published. This renewed enthusiasm is due in large part to phage therapy holding promise for providing safe and effective cures for bacterial infections that traditional antibiotics acting alone have been unable to clear. This Essay introduces basic phage biology, provides an outline of the long history of phage therapy, highlights some advantages of using phages as antibacterial agents, and provides an overview of recent phage therapy clinical successes. Although phage therapy has clear clinical potential, it faces biological, regulatory, and economic challenges to its further implementation and more mainstream acceptance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandra Petrovic Fabijan
- Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
- Faculty of Health and Medicine, School of Medicine, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jonathan Iredell
- Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
- Faculty of Health and Medicine, School of Medicine, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Westmead Hospital, Western Sydney Local Health District, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Katarzyna Danis-Wlodarczyk
- Department of Microbial Infection and Immunity, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Razieh Kebriaei
- P3 Research Laboratory, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Stephen T. Abedon
- Department of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, Mansfield, Ohio, United States of America
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Abedon ST. Bacteriophage Adsorption: Likelihood of Virion Encounter with Bacteria and Other Factors Affecting Rates. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:723. [PMID: 37107086 PMCID: PMC10135360 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12040723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
For ideal gasses, the likelihood of collision of two molecules is a function of concentrations as well as environmental factors such as temperature. This too is the case for particles diffusing within liquids. Two such particles are bacteria and their viruses, the latter called bacteriophages or phages. Here, I review the basic process of predicting the likelihoods of phage collision with bacteria. This is a key step governing rates of phage-virion adsorption to their bacterial hosts, thereby underlying a large fraction of the potential for a given phage concentration to affect a susceptible bacterial population. Understanding what can influence those rates is very relevant to appreciating both phage ecology and the phage therapy of bacterial infections, i.e., where phages are used to augment or replace antibiotics; so too adsorption rates are highly important for predicting the potential for phage-mediated biological control of environmental bacteria. Particularly emphasized here, however, are numerous complications on phage adsorption rates beyond as dictated by the ideals of standard adsorption theory. These include movements other than due to diffusion, various hindrances to diffusive movement, and the influence of assorted heterogeneities. Considered chiefly are the biological consequences of these various phenomena rather than their mathematical underpinnings.
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Antibiotics that affect translation can antagonize phage infectivity by interfering with the deployment of counter-defenses. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2216084120. [PMID: 36669116 PMCID: PMC9942909 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2216084120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
It is becoming increasingly clear that antibiotics can both positively and negatively impact the infectivity of bacteriophages (phage), but the underlying mechanisms often remain unclear. Here we demonstrate that antibiotics that target the protein translation machinery can fundamentally alter the outcome of bacteria-phage interactions by interfering with the production of phage-encoded counter-defense proteins. Specifically, using Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA14 and phage DMS3vir as a model, we show that bacteria with Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeat, CRISPR associated (CRISPR-Cas) immune systems have elevated levels of immunity against phage that encode anti-CRISPR (acr) genes when translation inhibitors are present in the environment. CRISPR-Cas are highly prevalent defense systems that enable bacteria to detect and destroy phage genomes in a sequence-specific manner. In response, many phages encode acr genes that are expressed immediately following the infection to inhibit key steps of the CRISPR-Cas immune response. Our data show that while phage-carrying acr genes can amplify efficiently on bacteria with CRISPR-Cas immune systems in the absence of antibiotics, the presence of antibiotics that act on protein translation prevents phage amplification, while protecting bacteria from lysis.
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In Vitro Techniques and Measurements of Phage Characteristics That Are Important for Phage Therapy Success. Viruses 2022; 14:v14071490. [PMID: 35891470 PMCID: PMC9323186 DOI: 10.3390/v14071490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 06/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Validated methods for phage selection, host range expansion, and lytic activity determination are indispensable for maximizing phage therapy outcomes. In this review, we describe some relevant methods, highlighting their advantages and disadvantages, and categorize them as preliminary or confirmatory methods where appropriate. Experimental conditions, such as the composition and consistency of culture media, have an impact on bacterial growth and, consequently, phage propagation and the selection of phage-resistant mutants. The phages require different experimental conditions to be tested to fully reveal their characteristics and phage therapy potential in view of their future use in therapy. Phage lytic activity or virulence should be considered as a result of the phage, its host, and intracellular/environmental factors, including the ability of a phage to recognize receptors on the bacterial cell surface. In vitro quantitative and qualitative measurements of phage characteristics, further validated by in vivo experiments, could be incorporated into one system or mathematical model/formula, which could predict a potential successful outcome of clinical applications.
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13
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Abedon ST. Pathways to Phage Therapy Enlightenment, or Why I Have Become a Scientific Curmudgeon. PHAGE (NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y.) 2022; 3:95-97. [PMID: 36157282 PMCID: PMC9436250 DOI: 10.1089/phage.2022.0012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Over the past decade I, with collaborators, have authored a number of publications outlining what in the first of these I described as "Phage therapy best practices"-phage therapy being the use of bacterial viruses (bacteriophages) to treat bacterial infections, such as clinically. More generally, this is phage-mediated biocontrol of bacteria, including of bacteria that can contaminate foods. For the sake of increasing accessibility, here I gather some of these suggestions, along with some frustrations, into a single place, while first providing by way of explanation where they, and I, come from scientifically. Although in my opinion phage therapy and phage-mediated biocontrol are both sound approaches toward combating unwanted bacteria, I feel at the same time that the practice of especially phage therapy research could be improved. I supply also, as supplemental material, a list of ∼100 English language 2000-and-later publications providing primary descriptions of phage application to humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen T. Abedon
- Department of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, Mansfield, Ohio, USA
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