1
|
Javid M, Shahverdi AR, Ghasemi A, Moosavi-Movahedi AA, Ebrahim-Habibi A, Sepehrizadeh Z. Decoding the Structure-Function Relationship of the Muramidase Domain in E. coli O157.H7 Bacteriophage Endolysin: A Potential Building Block for Chimeric Enzybiotics. Protein J 2024; 43:522-543. [PMID: 38662183 DOI: 10.1007/s10930-024-10195-z] [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] [Accepted: 03/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Bacteriophage endolysins are potential alternatives to conventional antibiotics for treating multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacterial infections. However, their structure-function relationships are poorly understood, hindering their optimization and application. In this study, we focused on the individual functionality of the C-terminal muramidase domain of Gp127, a modular endolysin from E. coli O157:H7 bacteriophage PhaxI. This domain is responsible for the enzymatic activity, whereas the N-terminal domain binds to the bacterial cell wall. Through protein modeling, docking experiments, and molecular dynamics simulations, we investigated the activity, stability, and interactions of the isolated C-terminal domain with its ligand. We also assessed its expression, solubility, toxicity, and lytic activity using the experimental data. Our results revealed that the C-terminal domain exhibits high activity and toxicity when tested individually, and its expression is regulated in different hosts to prevent self-destruction. Furthermore, we validated the muralytic activity of the purified refolded protein by zymography and standardized assays. These findings challenge the need for the N-terminal binding domain to arrange the active site and adjust the gap between crucial residues for peptidoglycan cleavage. Our study shed light on the three-dimensional structure and functionality of muramidase endolysins, thereby enriching the existing knowledge pool and laying a foundation for accurate in silico modeling and the informed design of next-generation enzybiotic treatments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mehri Javid
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmacy & Biotechnology Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ahmad Reza Shahverdi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmacy & Biotechnology Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Atiyeh Ghasemi
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Azadeh Ebrahim-Habibi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmacy & Biotechnology Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
- Biosensor Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Molecular-Cellular Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Zargham Sepehrizadeh
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmacy & Biotechnology Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Keller AP, Huemer M, Chang CC, Mairpady Shambat S, Bjurnemark C, Oberortner N, Santschi MV, Zinsli LV, Röhrig C, Sobieraj AM, Shen Y, Eichenseher F, Zinkernagel AS, Loessner MJ, Schmelcher M. Systemic application of bone-targeting peptidoglycan hydrolases as a novel treatment approach for staphylococcal bone infection. mBio 2023; 14:e0183023. [PMID: 37768041 PMCID: PMC10653945 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01830-23] [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: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE The rising prevalence of antimicrobial resistance in S. aureus has rendered treatment of staphylococcal infections increasingly difficult, making the discovery of alternative treatment options a high priority. Peptidoglycan hydrolases, a diverse group of bacteriolytic enzymes, show high promise as such alternatives due to their rapid and specific lysis of bacterial cells, independent of antibiotic resistance profiles. However, using these enzymes for the systemic treatment of local infections, such as osteomyelitis foci, needs improvement, as the therapeutic distributes throughout the whole host, resulting in low concentrations at the actual infection site. In addition, the occurrence of intracellularly persisting bacteria can lead to relapsing infections. Here, we describe an approach using tissue-targeting to increase the local concentration of therapeutic enzymes in the infected bone. The enzymes were modified with a short targeting moiety that mediated accumulation of the therapeutic in osteoblasts and additionally enables targeting of intracellularly surviving bacteria.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anja P. Keller
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Markus Huemer
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Chun-Chi Chang
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Srikanth Mairpady Shambat
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Nicole Oberortner
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Léa V. Zinsli
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Christian Röhrig
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Anna M. Sobieraj
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Yang Shen
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Fritz Eichenseher
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Annelies S. Zinkernagel
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Martin J. Loessner
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Mathias Schmelcher
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Vázquez R, Briers Y. What's in a Name? An Overview of the Proliferating Nomenclature in the Field of Phage Lysins. Cells 2023; 12:2016. [PMID: 37566095 PMCID: PMC10417350 DOI: 10.3390/cells12152016] [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: 07/06/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023] Open
Abstract
In the last few years, the volume of research produced on phage lysins has grown spectacularly due to the interest in using them as alternative antimicrobials. As a result, a plethora of naming customs has sprouted among the different research groups devoted to them. While the naming diversity accounts for the vitality of the topic, on too many occasions it also creates some confusion and lack of comparability between different works. This article aims at clarifying the ambiguities found among names referring to phage lysins. We do so by tackling the naming customs historically, framing their original adoption, and employing a semantic classification to facilitate their discussion. We propose a periodization of phage lysin research that begins at the discovery era, in the early 20th century, enriches with a strong molecular biology period, and grows into a current time of markedly applied research. During these different periods, names referring to the general concepts surrounding lysins have been created and adopted, as well as other more specific terms related to their structure and function or, finally, names that have been coined for the antimicrobial application and engineering of phage lysins. Thus, this article means to serve as an invitation to the global lysin community to take action and discuss a widely supported, standardized nomenclature.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Vázquez
- Laboratory of Applied Biotechnology, Department of Biotechnology, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Yves Briers
- Laboratory of Applied Biotechnology, Department of Biotechnology, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Liu H, Hu Z, Li M, Yang Y, Lu S, Rao X. Therapeutic potential of bacteriophage endolysins for infections caused by Gram-positive bacteria. J Biomed Sci 2023; 30:29. [PMID: 37101261 PMCID: PMC10131408 DOI: 10.1186/s12929-023-00919-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Gram-positive (G+) bacterial infection is a great burden to both healthcare and community medical resources. As a result of the increasing prevalence of multidrug-resistant G+ bacteria such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), novel antimicrobial agents must urgently be developed for the treatment of infections caused by G+ bacteria. Endolysins are bacteriophage (phage)-encoded enzymes that can specifically hydrolyze the bacterial cell wall and quickly kill bacteria. Bacterial resistance to endolysins is low. Therefore, endolysins are considered promising alternatives for solving the mounting resistance problem. In this review, endolysins derived from phages targeting G+ bacteria were classified based on their structural characteristics. The active mechanisms, efficacy, and advantages of endolysins as antibacterial drug candidates were summarized. Moreover, the remarkable potential of phage endolysins in the treatment of G+ bacterial infections was described. In addition, the safety of endolysins, challenges, and possible solutions were addressed. Notwithstanding the limitations of endolysins, the trends in development indicate that endolysin-based drugs will be approved in the near future. Overall, this review presents crucial information of the current progress involving endolysins as potential therapeutic agents, and it provides a guideline for biomaterial researchers who are devoting themselves to fighting against bacterial infections.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- He Liu
- Department of Microbiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Microbial Engineering Under the Educational Committee in Chongqing, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Zhen Hu
- Department of Microbiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Microbial Engineering Under the Educational Committee in Chongqing, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Mengyang Li
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
| | - Yi Yang
- Department of Microbiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Microbial Engineering Under the Educational Committee in Chongqing, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Shuguang Lu
- Department of Microbiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Microbial Engineering Under the Educational Committee in Chongqing, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China.
| | - Xiancai Rao
- Department of Microbiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Microbial Engineering Under the Educational Committee in Chongqing, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Gutiérrez D, Rodríguez-Rubio L, Ruas-Madiedo P, Fernández L, Campelo AB, Briers Y, Nielsen MW, Pedersen K, Lavigne R, García P, Rodríguez A. Design and Selection of Engineered Lytic Proteins With Staphylococcus aureus Decolonizing Activity. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:723834. [PMID: 34594314 PMCID: PMC8477017 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.723834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus causes various infections in humans and animals, the skin being the principal reservoir of this pathogen. The widespread occurrence of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) limits the elimination and treatment of this pathogen. Phage lytic proteins have been proven as efficient antimicrobials against S. aureus. Here, a set of 12 engineered proteins based on endolysins were conceptualized to select the most optimal following a stepwise funnel approach assessing parameters including turbidity reduction, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), time-kill curves, and antibiofilm assays, as well as testing their stability in a broad range of storage conditions (pH, temperature, and ionic strength). The engineered phage lysins LysRODIΔAmi and ClyRODI-H5 showed the highest specific lytic activity (5 to 50 times higher than the rest), exhibited a shelf-life up to 6 months and remained stable at temperatures up to 50°C and in a pH range from 3 to 9. LysRODIΔAmi showed the lower MIC values against all staphylococcal strains tested. Both proteins were able to kill 6 log units of the strain S. aureus Sa9 within 5 min and could remove preformed biofilms (76 and 65%, respectively). Moreover, LysRODIΔAmi could prevent biofilm formation at low protein concentrations (0.15–0.6 μM). Due to its enhanced antibiofilm properties, LysRODIΔAmi was selected to effectively remove S. aureus contamination in both intact and disrupted keratinocyte monolayers. Notably, this protein did not demonstrate any toxicity toward human keratinocytes, even at high concentrations (22.1 μM). Finally, a pig skin ex vivo model was used to evaluate treatment of artificially contaminated pig skin using LysRODIΔAmi (16.5 μg/cm2). Following an early reduction of S. aureus, a second dose of protein completely eradicated S. aureus. Overall, our results suggest that LysRODIΔAmi is a suitable candidate as antimicrobial agent to prevent and treat staphylococcal skin infections.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Diana Gutiérrez
- Instituto de Productos Lácteos de Asturias (IPLA-CSIC), Asturias, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain.,Laboratory of Applied Biotechnology, Department of Biotechnology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Lorena Rodríguez-Rubio
- Laboratory of Gene Technology, Department of Biosystems, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Patricia Ruas-Madiedo
- Instituto de Productos Lácteos de Asturias (IPLA-CSIC), Asturias, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Lucía Fernández
- Instituto de Productos Lácteos de Asturias (IPLA-CSIC), Asturias, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Ana Belén Campelo
- Instituto de Productos Lácteos de Asturias (IPLA-CSIC), Asturias, Spain
| | - Yves Briers
- Laboratory of Applied Biotechnology, Department of Biotechnology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Martin Weiss Nielsen
- Department of Microbiology and Production, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Karl Pedersen
- Department of Microbiology and Production, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Rob Lavigne
- Laboratory of Gene Technology, Department of Biosystems, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Pilar García
- Instituto de Productos Lácteos de Asturias (IPLA-CSIC), Asturias, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Ana Rodríguez
- Instituto de Productos Lácteos de Asturias (IPLA-CSIC), Asturias, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Fernández L, Cima-Cabal MD, Duarte AC, Rodríguez A, García-Suárez MDM, García P. Gram-Positive Pneumonia: Possibilities Offered by Phage Therapy. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 10:antibiotics10081000. [PMID: 34439050 PMCID: PMC8388979 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10081000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Revised: 08/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Pneumonia is an acute pulmonary infection whose high hospitalization and mortality rates can, on occasion, bring healthcare systems to the brink of collapse. Both viral and bacterial pneumonia are uncovering many gaps in our understanding of host–pathogen interactions, and are testing the effectiveness of the currently available antimicrobial strategies. In the case of bacterial pneumonia, the main challenge is antibiotic resistance, which is only expected to increase during the current pandemic due to the widespread use of antibiotics to prevent secondary infections in COVID-19 patients. As a result, alternative therapeutics will be necessary to keep this disease under control. This review evaluates the advantages of phage therapy to treat lung bacterial infections, in particular those caused by the Gram-positive bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus, while also highlighting the regulatory impediments that hamper its clinical use and the difficulties associated with phage research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lucía Fernández
- Instituto de Productos Lácteos de Asturias (IPLA-CSIC), Paseo Río Linares s/n, 33300 Villaviciosa, Asturias, Spain; (L.F.); (A.C.D.); (A.R.)
- DairySafe Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), 33011 Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
| | - María Dolores Cima-Cabal
- Escuela Superior de Ingeniería y Tecnología (ESIT), Universidad Internacional de la Rioja (UNIR), Av. de la Paz, 137, 26006 Logroño, La Rioja, Spain;
| | - Ana Catarina Duarte
- Instituto de Productos Lácteos de Asturias (IPLA-CSIC), Paseo Río Linares s/n, 33300 Villaviciosa, Asturias, Spain; (L.F.); (A.C.D.); (A.R.)
- DairySafe Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), 33011 Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
| | - Ana Rodríguez
- Instituto de Productos Lácteos de Asturias (IPLA-CSIC), Paseo Río Linares s/n, 33300 Villaviciosa, Asturias, Spain; (L.F.); (A.C.D.); (A.R.)
- DairySafe Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), 33011 Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
| | - María del Mar García-Suárez
- Escuela Superior de Ingeniería y Tecnología (ESIT), Universidad Internacional de la Rioja (UNIR), Av. de la Paz, 137, 26006 Logroño, La Rioja, Spain;
- Correspondence: (M.d.M.G.-S.); (P.G.)
| | - Pilar García
- Instituto de Productos Lácteos de Asturias (IPLA-CSIC), Paseo Río Linares s/n, 33300 Villaviciosa, Asturias, Spain; (L.F.); (A.C.D.); (A.R.)
- DairySafe Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), 33011 Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
- Correspondence: (M.d.M.G.-S.); (P.G.)
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Crespo-Piazuelo D, Lawlor PG. Livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (LA-MRSA) prevalence in humans in close contact with animals and measures to reduce on-farm colonisation. Ir Vet J 2021; 74:21. [PMID: 34362463 PMCID: PMC8348836 DOI: 10.1186/s13620-021-00200-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Since the 1940s, Staphylococcus aureus has adapted to the use of different antimicrobials to treat infections. Although S. aureus can act as a commensal bacterium, some strains are facultative pathogens and acquiring them can be fatal. In particular, treating infections caused by S. aureus with acquired antimicrobial resistance is problematic, as their treatment is more difficult. Some of these S. aureus variants are methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) with prevalence across the globe in health-care facilities, community settings and on livestock farms. Apart from humans, MRSA can colonise other animal species, and because of this, resistance to new antimicrobials can appear and jump between species. Livestock and companion animals are particularly important in this regard considering the relatively high usage of antimicrobials in these species. There is a risk to humans who come into direct contact with animals acquiring MRSA but there is also the risk of animals acquiring MRSA from colonised humans. In this review, we summarise studies conducted worldwide to characterise the prevalence of MRSA in veterinarians, farmers and other personnel who come into close contact with animals. Finally, alternative treatment, preventive measures and on-farm strategies to reduce MRSA introduction to a farm and carriage within a herd are discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Crespo-Piazuelo
- Teagasc, Pig Development Department, Animal & Grassland Research & Innovation Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork, P61 C996, Ireland
| | - Peadar G Lawlor
- Teagasc, Pig Development Department, Animal & Grassland Research & Innovation Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork, P61 C996, Ireland.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Uyttebroek S, Onsea J, Metsemakers WJ, Dupont L, Devolder D, Wagemans J, Lavigne R, Spriet I, Van Gerven L. The Potential Role of Bacteriophages in the Treatment of Recalcitrant Chronic Rhinosinusitis. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 10:antibiotics10060675. [PMID: 34198741 PMCID: PMC8229554 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10060675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic rhinosinusitis is a common condition affecting 5-12% of the general population worldwide. In a limited number of cases, the disease is recalcitrant to medical and surgical interventions, causing a major impact on physical, social and emotional well-being and increasing pressure on healthcare systems. Biofilm formation and dysbiosis caused by Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa play a role in the pathogenesis of recalcitrant chronic rhinosinusitis. In these cases, a promising treatment alternative is the application of bacteriophages, which are viruses that infect and lyse bacteria. In this review, we appraise the evidence for the use of bacteriophages in the treatment of recalcitrant chronic rhinosinusitis. Additionally, (dis)advantages of bacteriophages and considerations for implementation of phage therapy in otorhinolaryngology practice will be discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Saartje Uyttebroek
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, UZ Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium;
- Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Otorhinolaryngology, Rhinology Research, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jolien Onsea
- Department of Trauma Surgery, UZ Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (J.O.); (W.-J.M.)
- Department of Development and Regeneration, Locomotor and Neurological Disorders, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Willem-Jan Metsemakers
- Department of Trauma Surgery, UZ Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (J.O.); (W.-J.M.)
- Department of Development and Regeneration, Locomotor and Neurological Disorders, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lieven Dupont
- Department of Pneumology, UZ Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium;
- Department of Chronic Diseases and Metabolism, Respiratory Diseases and Thoracic Surgery, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - David Devolder
- Pharmacy Department, UZ Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (D.D.); (I.S.)
| | - Jeroen Wagemans
- Department of Biosystems, Laboratory of Gene Technology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (J.W.); (R.L.)
| | - Rob Lavigne
- Department of Biosystems, Laboratory of Gene Technology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (J.W.); (R.L.)
| | - Isabel Spriet
- Pharmacy Department, UZ Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (D.D.); (I.S.)
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Laura Van Gerven
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, UZ Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium;
- Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Otorhinolaryngology, Rhinology Research, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Allergy and Clinical Immunology Research Unit, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +32-16-33-63-41
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Ding C, Yu Y, Zhou Q. Bacterial Vaginosis: Effects on reproduction and its therapeutics. J Gynecol Obstet Hum Reprod 2021; 50:102174. [PMID: 34087449 DOI: 10.1016/j.jogoh.2021.102174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2021] [Revised: 04/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Bacterial Vaginosis (BV) is the most common vaginal infection. A large amount of evidence shows that the anatomical scope of BV's pathogenic effect is far beyond the lower reproductive tract. BV is closely related to adverse reproductive outcomes, which may be due to the infection of the vaginal flora ascending to the upper genital tract. In addition, the incidence of BV is relatively high in infertile women. The vaginal microbiome also plays an important role in women's health and diseases. For most women, the normal vaginal microbiota is dominated by Lactobacillus, which can maintain a healthy vaginal environment by producing lactic acid, H2O2 and bacteriocin, etc. BV is characterized by the imbalanced vaginal flora. It changes the acidic environment that is normally dominated by Lactobacillus, and causes an overgrowth of anaerobic and facultative anaerobic bacteria such as Gardnerella vaginalis and Atopobium vaginae. Studies have shown that bacterial infections in the vagina can spread to upper genital tract and cause adverse fertility outcome. Therefore, early diagnosis and therapeutics of symptomatic BV is helpful to improve the outcome of poor fertility.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chuanfeng Ding
- Clinical and Translational Research Center, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Department of Reproductive Immunology, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Yongsheng Yu
- Clinical and Translational Research Center, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Qian Zhou
- Clinical and Translational Research Center, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Department of Reproductive Immunology, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Walsh L, Johnson CN, Hill C, Ross RP. Efficacy of Phage- and Bacteriocin-Based Therapies in Combatting Nosocomial MRSA Infections. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:654038. [PMID: 33996906 PMCID: PMC8116899 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.654038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is a pathogen commonly found in nosocomial environments where infections can easily spread - especially given the reduced immune response of patients and large overlap between personnel in charge of their care. Although antibiotics are available to treat nosocomial infections, the increased occurrence of antibiotic resistance has rendered many treatments ineffective. Such is the case for methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA), which has continued to be a threat to public health since its emergence. For this reason, alternative treatment technologies utilizing antimicrobials such as bacteriocins, bacteriophages (phages) and phage endolysins are being developed. These antimicrobials provide an advantage over antibiotics in that many have narrow inhibition spectra, enabling treatments to be selected based on the target (pathogenic) bacterium while allowing for survival of commensal bacteria and thus avoiding collateral damage to the microbiome. Bacterial resistance to these treatments occurs less frequently than with antibiotics, particularly in circumstances where combinatory antimicrobial therapies are used. Phage therapy has been well established in Eastern Europe as an effective treatment against bacterial infections. While there are no Randomized Clinical Trials (RCTs) to our knowledge examining phage treatment of S. aureus infections that have completed all trial phases, numerous clinical trials are underway, and several commercial phage preparations are currently available to treat S. aureus infections. Bacteriocins have primarily been used in the food industry for bio-preservation applications. However, the idea of repurposing bacteriocins for human health is an attractive one considering their efficacy against many bacterial pathogens. There are concerns about the ability of bacteriocins to survive the gastrointestinal tract given their proteinaceous nature, however, this obstacle may be overcome by altering the administration route of the therapy through encapsulation, or by bioengineering protease-resistant variants. Obstacles such as enzymatic digestion are less of an issue for topical/local administration, for example, application to the surface of the skin. Bacteriocins have also shown impressive synergistic effects when used in conjunction with other antimicrobials, including antibiotics, which may allow antibiotic-based therapies to be used more sparingly with less resistance development. This review provides an updated account of known bacteriocins, phages and phage endolysins which have demonstrated an impressive ability to kill S. aureus strains. In particular, examples of antimicrobials with the ability to target MRSA strains and their subsequent use in a clinical setting are outlined.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Walsh
- School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.,APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Crystal N Johnson
- School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.,APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.,Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark, Cork, Ireland
| | - Colin Hill
- School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.,APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - R Paul Ross
- School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.,APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.,Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark, Cork, Ireland
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Son B, Kong M, Lee Y, Ryu S. Development of a Novel Chimeric Endolysin, Lys109 With Enhanced Lytic Activity Against Staphylococcus aureus. Front Microbiol 2021; 11:615887. [PMID: 33519773 PMCID: PMC7843465 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.615887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
As the incidence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria has become increased, phage endolysins are believed as one of the promising alternatives to antibiotics. However, the discovery of potent endolysin is still challenging because it is labor intensive and difficult to obtain a soluble form with high lytic activity. In this respect, the modular structures of Gram-positive endolysins can provide an opportunity to develop novel endolysins by domain rearrangement. In this study, a random domain swapping library of four different endolysins from phages infecting Staphylococcus aureus was constructed and screened to obtain engineered endolysins. The novel chimeric endolysin, Lys109 was selected and characterized for its staphylolytic activity. Lys109 exhibited greater bacterial cell lytic activity than its parental endolysins against staphylococcal planktonic cells and biofilms, showing highly improved activity in eliminating S. aureus from milk and on the surface of stainless steel. These results demonstrate that a novel chimeric endolysin with higher activity and solubility can be developed by random domain swapping and that this chimeric endolysin has a great potential as an antimicrobial agent.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bokyung Son
- Department of Food and Animal Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Minsuk Kong
- Department of Food Science and Technology, Seoul National University of Science and Technology, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Yoona Lee
- Department of Food and Animal Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Sangryeol Ryu
- Department of Food and Animal Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
- Center for Food and Bioconvergence, Research Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
LysSAP26, a New Recombinant Phage Endolysin with a Broad Spectrum Antibacterial Activity. Viruses 2020; 12:v12111340. [PMID: 33238548 PMCID: PMC7700246 DOI: 10.3390/v12111340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Revised: 11/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria are a major threat to public health. Bacteriophage endolysins (lysins) are a promising alternative treatment to traditional antibiotics. However, the lysins currently under development are still underestimated. Herein, we cloned the lysin from the SAP-26 bacteriophage genome. The recombinant LysSAP26 protein inhibited the growth of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, oxacillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium with minimum inhibitory concentrations of 5~80 µg/mL. In animal experiments, mice infected with A. baumannii were protected by LysSAP26, with a 40% survival rate. Transmission electron microscopy analysis confirmed that LysSAP26 treatment resulted in the destruction of bacterial cell walls. LysSAP26 is a new endolysin that can be applied to treat MDR A. baumannii, E. faecium, S. aureus, K. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa, and E. coli infections, targeting both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.
Collapse
|
13
|
Engineering of Long-Circulating Peptidoglycan Hydrolases Enables Efficient Treatment of Systemic Staphylococcus aureus Infection. mBio 2020; 11:mBio.01781-20. [PMID: 32963004 PMCID: PMC7512550 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01781-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is a human pathogen causing life-threatening diseases. The increasing prevalence of multidrug-resistant S. aureus infections is a global health concern, requiring development of novel therapeutic options. Peptidoglycan-degrading enzymes (peptidoglycan hydrolases, PGHs) have emerged as a highly effective class of antimicrobial proteins against S. aureus and other pathogens. When applied to Gram-positive bacteria, PGHs hydrolyze bonds within the peptidoglycan layer, leading to rapid bacterial death by lysis. This activity is highly specific and independent of the metabolic activity of the cell or its antibiotic resistance patterns. However, systemic application of PGHs is limited by their often low activity in vivo and by an insufficient serum circulation half-life. To address this problem, we aimed to extend the half-life of PGHs selected for high activity against S. aureus in human serum. Half-life extension and increased serum circulation were achieved through fusion of PGHs to an albumin-binding domain (ABD), resulting in high-affinity recruitment of human serum albumin and formation of large protein complexes. Importantly, the ABD-fused PGHs maintained high killing activity against multiple drug-resistant S. aureus strains, as determined by ex vivo testing in human blood. The top candidate, termed ABD_M23, was tested in vivo to treat S. aureus-induced murine bacteremia. Our findings demonstrate a significantly higher efficacy of ABD_M23 than of the parental M23 enzyme. We conclude that fusion with ABD represents a powerful approach for half-life extension of PGHs, expanding the therapeutic potential of these enzybiotics for treatment of multidrug-resistant bacterial infections.IMPORTANCE Life-threatening infections with Staphylococcus aureus are often difficult to treat due to the increasing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and their ability to persist in protected niches in the body. Bacteriolytic enzymes are promising new antimicrobials because they rapidly kill bacteria, including drug-resistant and persisting cells, by destroying their cell wall. However, when injected into the bloodstream, these enzymes are not retained long enough to clear an infection. Here, we describe a modification to increase blood circulation time of the enzymes and enhance treatment efficacy against S. aureus-induced bloodstream infections. This was achieved by preselecting enzyme candidates for high activity in human blood and coupling them to serum albumin, thereby preventing their elimination by kidney filtration and blood vessel cells.
Collapse
|
14
|
Alaksandr Ž, Sergey G, Maksim P, Sergey K, Niyaz S, Uladzimir P, Mikhail S. Efficient matrix-assisted refolding of the recombinant anti-staphylococcal truncated endolysin LysKCA and its structural and enzymatic description. Protein Expr Purif 2020; 174:105683. [PMID: 32534980 DOI: 10.1016/j.pep.2020.105683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2020] [Revised: 05/21/2020] [Accepted: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
The recombinant truncated endolysin LysK consisting of two catalytic domains, N-terminal CHAP and amidase-2 (LysKCA) was overexpressed in E. coli in the form of inclusion bodies (IBs). These IBs were dissolved in 6 M solution of urea followed by the refolding process. The refolding efficacy of the dilution and matrix-assisted renaturation method on SP Sepharose was compared at different purification stages of LysKCA. Solubilizate of IBs, DEAE Sepharose flowthrough, and SP Sepharose elution fractions were examined. The presence of negatively charged nucleic acids (NA) in the solution has shown a decrease in the recombinant LysKCA refolding yield (less than 11.5 ± 1.3% for both renaturation methods) due to their non-specific interaction with the positively charged endolysin. The renaturation efficiency of the enzyme purified from NA (SP elution fraction) was about 29.5 ± 6.7% and 28.2 ± 3.75% for dilution and matrix-assisted methods respectively. The later approach allows conducting one-step LysKCA refolding, purification and collection, and also noticeably cuts time and material expenses. The analysis of CD spectroscopy data of LysKCA, renatured on the resin matrix, revealed alpha helices and beta strands content similar to that of the modeled 3D structure. The theoretical 3D model with two predicted domains (CHAP and amidase-2) agrees well with the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results of the renatured LysKCA showing two well-resolved peaks corresponding to the two calorimetrically-revealed domains with the midpoint transition temperature (Tm) of 40.1 and 65.3°С. The enzyme so obtained exhibited in vitro anti-staphylococcal activity with 2.3 ± 0.45 × 103 U/mg and retained it for at least one year.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Žydziecki Alaksandr
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology, Belarusian State University, Minsk, 220030, Belarus.
| | - Golenchenko Sergey
- Department of Microbiology Faculty of Biology, Belarusian State University, Minsk, 220030, Belarus
| | - Patapovich Maksim
- Department of Microbiology Faculty of Biology, Belarusian State University, Minsk, 220030, Belarus
| | - Kleymenov Sergey
- A.N. Bach Institute of Biochemistry, Research Center of Biotechnology of Russian Academy of Science, Moscow, 119071, Russia; Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119334, Russia
| | - Safarov Niyaz
- Laboratory of Biotechnology, Baku State University, Baku, AZ, 1148, Azerbaijan
| | - Prakulevich Uladzimir
- Department of Microbiology Faculty of Biology, Belarusian State University, Minsk, 220030, Belarus
| | - Sholukh Mikhail
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology, Belarusian State University, Minsk, 220030, Belarus
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Kaur J, Singh P, Sharma D, Harjai K, Chhibber S. A potent enzybiotic against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Virus Genes 2020; 56:480-497. [DOI: 10.1007/s11262-020-01762-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2019] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
|
16
|
Rahimzadeh G, Gill P, Rezai MS. Cysteine/Histidine-Dependent Amidohydrolase/Peptidase (CHAP)-Displayed Nano Phages: Antimicrobial Function against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Avicenna J Med Biotechnol 2020; 12:85-90. [PMID: 32431792 PMCID: PMC7229455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2019] [Accepted: 10/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Emergence and prevalence of multi drug resistance strains such as Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) call for new antibacterial option. Endolysins as a new option is suggested. The phage display technique is suggested for production of recombinant endolysins. The recombinant endolysins displayed nano phages specifically lysis bacteria, which penetrate to the depth of tissue and the effective dose is reduced. METHODS CHAPK gene was ligated in T7Select vector arms in T7Select10-3b cloning kit. To produce recombinant nano phages, ligation reaction was added directly to the packaging extract. Recombinant nano phages were amplified by Double Layer Agar assay (DLA). The recombinant nano phages were characterized using TEM. Size of recombinant nano phages was determined using DLS. The spot test was performed to confirm CHAPk -displayed on the surface of nano phages. The turbidimetry was used to investigate lytic activity of recombinant nano phages against MRSA ATCC No. 33591. RESULTS The results showed recombinant nano phages belonged to order Caudovirales and family Podoviridae with titer 2×107 PFU/ml. According to the results of DLS, size of recombinant nano phages was 71 nm. Formation inhibition zone confirmed the presence of CHAPk on the surface of nano phage phenotypically. The turbidimetry showed lytic activity recombinant nano phages against MRSA after 5 min. CONCLUSION This study suggests that CHAPk -displayed nano phages can be effective in MRSA infections.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Golnar Rahimzadeh
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Pooria Gill
- Nanomedicine Group, Immunogenetics Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Mohammad Sadegh Rezai
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Žydziecki AV, Golenchenko SG, Prakulevich UA, Sholukh MV. The Screening of Refolding Conditions and Obtainment of the Recombinant Antistaphylococcal Endolysin LysKCA in Active Form from E. coli Inclusion Bodies. APPL BIOCHEM MICRO+ 2020. [DOI: 10.1134/s0003683820010160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
|
18
|
Shan Y, Yang N, Teng D, Wang X, Mao R, Hao Y, Ma X, Fan H, Wang J. Recombinant of the Staphylococcal Bacteriophage Lysin CHAP k and Its Elimination against Streptococcus agalactiae Biofilms. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8020216. [PMID: 32041118 PMCID: PMC7074704 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8020216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2019] [Revised: 02/04/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Bovine mastitis is the most important infectious disease, causing significant losses in the dairy industry, in which Streptococcus agalactiae is a major pathogen. In this study, lysin CHAPk, derived from bacteriophage K, was expressed heterogeneously, and its antimicrobial and anti-biofilm effects against S. agalactiae isolated from bovine mastitis were further analyzed. CHAPk was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3), in which the purified yield of CHAPk was up to 14.6 mg/L with the purity of 95%. Time-killing kinetic curves showed that CHAPk fastly killed S. agalactiae in TSB medium and in milk within 25 min (by 3.3 log10 CFU/mL and 2.4 log10 CFU/mL, respectively). Observation of scanning electron microscope (SEM) showed cells wrinkled and ruptured after the treatment of CHAPk. CHAPk effectively inhibited early biofilms by 95% in 8 × MIC, and eradicated mature biofilms by 89.4% in 16 × MIC. Moreover, CHAPk killed 99% bacteria in mature biofilms. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) also demonstrated the potent antimicrobial and anti-biofilm action of CHAPk. It was firstly demonstrated CHAPk had the characters of inhibition/elimination of S. agalactiae biofilms and killing the bacteria in biofilms. CHAPk has the potential to develop a new antibacterial agent for mastitis treatment of S. agalactiae infections.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuxue Shan
- Gene Engineering Labotory, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China; (Y.S.); (N.Y.); (D.T.); (X.W.); (R.M.); (Y.H.); (X.M.)
- Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture and rural affairs, Beijing 100081, China
- Tianjin Animal Science and Veterinary Research Institute, Tianjin 300381, China
- College of Life Sciences, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin 300387, China
| | - Na Yang
- Gene Engineering Labotory, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China; (Y.S.); (N.Y.); (D.T.); (X.W.); (R.M.); (Y.H.); (X.M.)
- Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture and rural affairs, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Da Teng
- Gene Engineering Labotory, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China; (Y.S.); (N.Y.); (D.T.); (X.W.); (R.M.); (Y.H.); (X.M.)
- Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture and rural affairs, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Xiumin Wang
- Gene Engineering Labotory, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China; (Y.S.); (N.Y.); (D.T.); (X.W.); (R.M.); (Y.H.); (X.M.)
- Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture and rural affairs, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Ruoyu Mao
- Gene Engineering Labotory, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China; (Y.S.); (N.Y.); (D.T.); (X.W.); (R.M.); (Y.H.); (X.M.)
- Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture and rural affairs, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Ya Hao
- Gene Engineering Labotory, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China; (Y.S.); (N.Y.); (D.T.); (X.W.); (R.M.); (Y.H.); (X.M.)
- Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture and rural affairs, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Xuanxuan Ma
- Gene Engineering Labotory, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China; (Y.S.); (N.Y.); (D.T.); (X.W.); (R.M.); (Y.H.); (X.M.)
- Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture and rural affairs, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Huan Fan
- Tianjin Animal Science and Veterinary Research Institute, Tianjin 300381, China
- Correspondence: (J.W.); (H.F.)
| | - Jianhua Wang
- Gene Engineering Labotory, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China; (Y.S.); (N.Y.); (D.T.); (X.W.); (R.M.); (Y.H.); (X.M.)
- Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture and rural affairs, Beijing 100081, China
- Correspondence: (J.W.); (H.F.)
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Gutiérrez D, Garrido V, Fernández L, Portilla S, Rodríguez A, Grilló MJ, García P. Phage Lytic Protein LysRODI Prevents Staphylococcal Mastitis in Mice. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:7. [PMID: 32038593 PMCID: PMC6989612 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2019] [Accepted: 01/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Phage lytic proteins are promising antimicrobials that could complement conventional antibiotics and help to combat multi-drug resistant bacteria that cause important human and animal infections. Here, we report the characterization of endolysin LysRODI (encoded by staphylophage phiIPLA-RODI) and its application as a prophylactic mastitis treatment. The main properties of LysRODI were compared with those of endolysin LysA72 (encoded by staphylophage phiIPLA35) and the chimeric protein CHAPSH3b (derived from the virion-associated peptidoglycan hydrolase HydH5 and lysostaphin). Time-kill experiments performed with Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis demonstrated that the killing rate of LysRODI and CHAPSH3b is higher than that of LysA72 (0.1 μM protein removed 107 CFU/ml of S. aureus in 30 min). Of note, all proteins failed to select resistant mutants as bacterial exposure to sub-lethal concentrations of the proteins did not alter the MIC values. Additionally, LysRODI and CHAPSH3b were non-toxic in a zebrafish embryo model at concentrations near the MIC (0.5 and 0.7 μM, respectively). Moreover, these two proteins significantly reduced mortality in a zebrafish model of systemic infection. In contrast to LysRODI, the efficacy of CHAPSH3b was dose-dependent in zebrafish, requiring higher-dose treatments to achieve the maximum survival rate. For this reason, LysRODI was selected for further analysis in mice, demonstrating great efficacy to prevent mammary infections by S. aureus and S. epidermidis. Our findings strongly support the use of phage lytic proteins as a new strategy to prevent staphylococcal mastitis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Diana Gutiérrez
- DairySafe Group, Departamento de Tecnología y Biotecnología de Productos Lácteos, Instituto de Productos Lácteos de Asturias (IPLA-CSIC), Villaviciosa, Spain
| | - Victoria Garrido
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Instituto de Agrobiotecnología, CSIC-Gobierno de Navarra, Mutilva, Spain
| | - Lucía Fernández
- DairySafe Group, Departamento de Tecnología y Biotecnología de Productos Lácteos, Instituto de Productos Lácteos de Asturias (IPLA-CSIC), Villaviciosa, Spain
| | - Silvia Portilla
- DairySafe Group, Departamento de Tecnología y Biotecnología de Productos Lácteos, Instituto de Productos Lácteos de Asturias (IPLA-CSIC), Villaviciosa, Spain
| | - Ana Rodríguez
- DairySafe Group, Departamento de Tecnología y Biotecnología de Productos Lácteos, Instituto de Productos Lácteos de Asturias (IPLA-CSIC), Villaviciosa, Spain
| | - María Jesús Grilló
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Instituto de Agrobiotecnología, CSIC-Gobierno de Navarra, Mutilva, Spain
| | - Pilar García
- DairySafe Group, Departamento de Tecnología y Biotecnología de Productos Lácteos, Instituto de Productos Lácteos de Asturias (IPLA-CSIC), Villaviciosa, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Islam MR, Son N, Lee J, Lee DW, Sohn EJ, Hwang I. Production of bacteriophage-encoded endolysin, LysP11, in Nicotiana benthamiana and its activity as a potent antimicrobial agent against Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae. PLANT CELL REPORTS 2019; 38:1485-1499. [PMID: 31432212 DOI: 10.1007/s00299-019-02459-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2019] [Accepted: 08/12/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
KEY MESSAGE We produced a biologically active phage-encoded endolysin, LysP11, in N. benthamiana. Plant-produced LysP11 exhibited robust antimicrobial activity against E. rhusiopathiae, and C-terminal domain of LysP11 bound specifically to E. rhusiopathiae. Bacterial resistance to antibiotics, a serious issue in terms of global public health, is one of the leading causes of death today. Thus, new antimicrobial agents are needed to combat pathogens. Recent research suggests that bacteriophages and endolysins derived from bacteriophages are potential alternatives to traditional antibiotics. Here, we examined the antimicrobial activity of LysP11, which is encoded by Propionibacterium phage P1.1 and comprises an N-terminal amidase-2 domain and a C-terminal domain with no homology to other bacteriophage endolysins. LysP11 was produced in Nicotiana benthamiana (N. benthamiana) using an Agrobacterium-mediated transient expression strategy. LysP11 was purified on microcrystalline cellulose-binding resin after attachment of the Clostridium thermocellum-derived family 3 cellulose-binding domain as an affinity tag. The affinity tag was removed using the small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO) domain and SUMO-specific protease. Plant-produced LysP11 showed strong antimicrobial activity toward Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae (E. rhusiopathiae), mediated via lysis of the cell wall. Lytic activity was optimal at pH 8.0-9.0 (37 °C) and increased at higher concentrations of NaCl up to 400 mM. Furthermore, the C-terminal domain of LysP11 bound specifically to the E. rhusiopathiae cell wall. Based on these results, we propose that LysP11 is a potential candidate antimicrobial agent against E. rhusiopathiae.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Md Reyazul Islam
- Division of Integrative Biosciences and Biotechnology, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, 37673, South Korea
| | - Namil Son
- Division of Integrative Biosciences and Biotechnology, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, 37673, South Korea
| | - Junho Lee
- Division of Integrative Biosciences and Biotechnology, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, 37673, South Korea
| | - Dong Wook Lee
- Division of Integrative Biosciences and Biotechnology, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, 37673, South Korea
| | - Eun-Ju Sohn
- BioApplications Inc., Pohang, 37668, South Korea
| | - Inhwan Hwang
- Division of Integrative Biosciences and Biotechnology, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, 37673, South Korea.
- Department of Life Sciences, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, 37673, South Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Gondil VS, Harjai K, Chhibber S. Endolysins as emerging alternative therapeutic agents to counter drug-resistant infections. Int J Antimicrob Agents 2019; 55:105844. [PMID: 31715257 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2019.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2019] [Revised: 08/02/2019] [Accepted: 11/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Endolysins are the lytic products of bacteriophages which play a specific role in the release of phage progeny by degrading the peptidoglycan of the host bacterium. In the light of antibiotic resistance, endolysins are being considered as alternative therapeutic agents because of their exceptional ability to target bacterial cells when applied externally. Endolysins have been studied against a number of drug-resistant pathogens to assess their therapeutic ability. This review focuses on the structure of endolysins in terms of cell binding and catalytic domains, lytic ability, resistance, safety, immunogenicity and future applications. It primarily reviews recent advancements made in evaluation of the therapeutic potential of endolysins, including their origin, host range, applications, and synergy with conventional and non-conventional antimicrobial agents.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vijay Singh Gondil
- Department of Microbiology, Basic Medical Sciences, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India
| | - Kusum Harjai
- Department of Microbiology, Basic Medical Sciences, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India
| | - Sanjay Chhibber
- Department of Microbiology, Basic Medical Sciences, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Szaleniec J, Gibała A, Pobiega M, Parasion S, Składzień J, Stręk P, Gosiewski T, Szaleniec M. Exacerbations of Chronic Rhinosinusitis-Microbiology and Perspectives of Phage Therapy. Antibiotics (Basel) 2019; 8:antibiotics8040175. [PMID: 31590369 PMCID: PMC6963383 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics8040175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2019] [Revised: 10/01/2019] [Accepted: 10/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The chronically inflamed mucosa in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) can additionally be infected by bacteria, which results in an acute exacerbation of the disease (AECRS). Currently, AECRS is universally treated with antibiotics following the guidelines for acute bacterial rhinosinusitis (ABRS), as our understanding of its microbiology is insufficient to establish specific treatment recommendations. Unfortunately, antibiotics frequently fail to control the symptoms of AECRS due to biofilm formation, disruption of the natural microbiota, and arising antibiotic resistance. These issues can potentially be addressed by phage therapy. In this study, the endoscopically-guided cultures were postoperatively obtained from 50 patients in order to explore the microbiology of AECRS, evaluate options for antibiotic treatment, and, most importantly, assess a possibility of efficient phage therapy. Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci were the most frequently isolated bacteria, followed by Haemophilus influenzae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacteriaceae. Alarmingly, mechanisms of antibiotic resistance were detected in the isolates from 46% of the patients. Bacteria not sensitive to amoxicillin were carried by 28% of the patients. The lowest rates of resistance were noted for fluoroquinolones and aminoglycosides. Fortunately, 60% of the patients carried bacterial strains that were sensitive to bacteriophages from the Biophage Pharma collection and 81% of the antibiotic-resistant strains turned out to be sensitive to bacteriophages. The results showed that microbiology of AECRS is distinct from ABRS and amoxicillin should not be the antibiotic of first choice. Currently available bacteriophages could be used instead of antibiotics or as an adjunct to antibiotics in the majority of patients with AECRS.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Szaleniec
- Department of Otolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Sniadeckich 2, 31-531 Krakow, Poland.
| | - Agnieszka Gibała
- Jerzy Haber Institute of Catalysis and Surface Chemistry Polish Academy of Sciences, Niezapominajek 8, 30-239 Krakow, Poland.
- Maria Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Cancer Center and Institute of Oncology, Cracow Branch, Garncarska 11, 31-115 Krakow, Poland.
| | - Monika Pobiega
- Biophage Pharma S.A., Mogilska 40, 31-546 Krakow, Poland.
| | | | - Jacek Składzień
- Department of Otolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Sniadeckich 2, 31-531 Krakow, Poland.
| | - Paweł Stręk
- Department of Otolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Sniadeckich 2, 31-531 Krakow, Poland.
| | - Tomasz Gosiewski
- Chair of Microbiology, Department of Molecular Medical Microbiology Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Czysta 18, 31-121 Krakow, Poland.
| | - Maciej Szaleniec
- Jerzy Haber Institute of Catalysis and Surface Chemistry Polish Academy of Sciences, Niezapominajek 8, 30-239 Krakow, Poland.
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most important human pathogens that is responsible for a variety of diseases ranging from skin and soft tissue infections to endocarditis and sepsis. In recent decades, the treatment of staphylococcal infections has become increasingly difficult as the prevalence of multi-drug resistant strains continues to rise. With increasing mortality rates and medical costs associated with drug resistant strains, there is an urgent need for alternative therapeutic options. Many innovative strategies for alternative drug development are being pursued, including disruption of biofilms, inhibition of virulence factor production, bacteriophage-derived antimicrobials, anti-staphylococcal vaccines, and light-based therapies. While many compounds and methods still need further study to determine their feasibility, some are quickly approaching clinical application and may be available in the near future.
Collapse
|
24
|
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance is arguably the biggest current threat to global health. An increasing number of infections are becoming harder or almost impossible to treat, carrying high morbidity, mortality, and financial cost. The therapeutic use of bacteriophages, viruses that infect and kill bacteria, is well suited to be part of the multidimensional strategies to combat antibiotic resistance. Although phage therapy was first implemented almost a century ago, it was brought to a standstill after the successful introduction of antibiotics. Now, with the rise of antibiotic resistance, phage therapy is experiencing a well-deserved rebirth. Among the admittedly vast literature recently published on this topic, this review aims to provide a forward-looking perspective on phage therapy and its role in modern society. We cover the key points of the antibiotic resistance crisis and then explain the biological and evolutionary principles that support the use of phages, their interaction with the immune system, and a comparison with antibiotic therapy. By going through up-to-date reports and, whenever possible, human clinical trials, we examine the versatility of phage therapy. We discuss conventional approaches as well as novel strategies, including the use of phage-antibiotic combinations, phage-derived enzymes, exploitation of phage resistance mechanisms, and phage bioengineering. Finally, we discuss the benefits of phage therapy beyond the clinical perspective, including opportunities for scientific outreach and effective education, interdisciplinary collaboration, cultural and economic growth, and even innovative use of social media, making the case that phage therapy is more than just an alternative to antibiotics.
Collapse
|
25
|
Seijsing J, Sobieraj AM, Keller N, Shen Y, Zinkernagel AS, Loessner MJ, Schmelcher M. Improved Biodistribution and Extended Serum Half-Life of a Bacteriophage Endolysin by Albumin Binding Domain Fusion. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:2927. [PMID: 30538696 PMCID: PMC6277698 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.02927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2018] [Accepted: 11/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The increasing number of multidrug-resistant bacteria intensifies the need to develop new antimicrobial agents. Endolysins are bacteriophage-derived enzymes that degrade the bacterial cell wall and hold promise as a new class of highly specific and versatile antimicrobials. One major limitation to the therapeutic use of endolysins is their often short serum circulation half-life, mostly due to kidney excretion and lysosomal degradation. One strategy to increase the half-life of protein drugs is fusion to the albumin-binding domain (ABD). By high-affinity binding to serum albumin, ABD creates a complex with large hydrodynamic volume, reducing kidney excretion and lysosomal degradation. The aim of this study was to investigate the in vitro antibacterial activity and in vivo biodistribution and half-life of an engineered variant of the Staphylococcus aureus phage endolysin LysK. The ABD sequence was introduced at different positions within the enzyme, and lytic activity of each variant was determined in vitro and ex vivo in human serum. Half-life and biodistribution were assessed in vivo by intravenous injection of europium-labeled proteins into C57BL/6 wild-type mice. Our data demonstrates that fusion of the endolysin to ABD improves its serum circulation half-life and reduces its deposition in the kidneys in vivo. The most active construct reduced S. aureus counts in human serum ex vivo by 3 logs within 60 min. We conclude that ABD fusions provide an effective strategy to extend the half-life of antibacterial enzymes, supporting their therapeutic potential for treatment of systemic bacterial infections.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Johan Seijsing
- Laboratory of Food Microbiology, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Anna M Sobieraj
- Laboratory of Food Microbiology, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Nadia Keller
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Zürich - University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Yang Shen
- Laboratory of Food Microbiology, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Annelies S Zinkernagel
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Zürich - University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Martin J Loessner
- Laboratory of Food Microbiology, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Mathias Schmelcher
- Laboratory of Food Microbiology, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Vázquez R, García E, García P. Phage Lysins for Fighting Bacterial Respiratory Infections: A New Generation of Antimicrobials. Front Immunol 2018; 9:2252. [PMID: 30459750 PMCID: PMC6232686 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.02252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2018] [Accepted: 09/11/2018] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Lower respiratory tract infections and tuberculosis are responsible for the death of about 4.5 million people each year and are the main causes of mortality in children under 5 years of age. Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most common bacterial pathogen associated with severe pneumonia, although other Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria are involved in respiratory infections as well. The ability of these pathogens to persist and produce infection under the appropriate conditions is also associated with their capacity to form biofilms in the respiratory mucous membranes. Adding to the difficulty of treating biofilm-forming bacteria with antibiotics, many of these strains are becoming multidrug resistant, and thus the alternative therapeutics available for combating this kind of infections are rapidly depleting. Given these concerns, it is urgent to consider other unconventional strategies and, in this regard, phage lysins represent an attractive resource to circumvent some of the current issues in infection treatment. When added exogenously, lysins break specific bonds of the peptidoglycan and have potent bactericidal effects against susceptible bacteria. These enzymes possess interesting features, including that they do not trigger an adverse immune response and raise of resistance is very unlikely. Although Gram-negative bacteria had been considered refractory to these compounds, strategies to overcome this drawback have been developed recently. In this review we describe the most relevant in vitro and in vivo results obtained to date with lysins against bacterial respiratory pathogens.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Vázquez
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), Madrid, Spain
| | - Ernesto García
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), Madrid, Spain
| | - Pedro García
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), Madrid, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Phage-Derived Peptidoglycan Degrading Enzymes: Challenges and Future Prospects for In Vivo Therapy. Viruses 2018; 10:v10060292. [PMID: 29844287 PMCID: PMC6024856 DOI: 10.3390/v10060292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2018] [Revised: 05/23/2018] [Accepted: 05/24/2018] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Peptidoglycan degrading enzymes are of increasing interest as antibacterial agents, especially against multi-drug resistant pathogens. Herein we present a review about the biological features of virion-associated lysins and endolysins, phage-derived enzymes that have naturally evolved to compromise the bacterial peptidoglycan from without and from within, respectively. These natural features may determine the adaptability of the enzymes to kill bacteria in different environments. Endolysins are by far the most studied group of peptidoglycan-degrading enzymes, with several studies showing that they can exhibit potent antibacterial activity under specific conditions. However, the lytic activity of most endolysins seems to be significantly reduced when tested against actively growing bacteria, something that may be related to fact that these enzymes are naturally designed to degrade the peptidoglycan from within dead cells. This may negatively impact the efficacy of the endolysin in treating some infections in vivo. Here, we present a critical view of the methods commonly used to evaluate in vitro and in vivo the antibacterial performance of PG-degrading enzymes, focusing on the major hurdles concerning in vitro-to-in vivo translation.
Collapse
|
28
|
Gerstmans H, Criel B, Briers Y. Synthetic biology of modular endolysins. Biotechnol Adv 2018; 36:624-640. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2017.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2017] [Revised: 12/08/2017] [Accepted: 12/13/2017] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
|
29
|
Huber I, Potapova K, Kuhn A, Schmidt H, Hinrichs J, Rohde C, Beyer W. 1st German Phage Symposium-Conference Report. Viruses 2018; 10:v10040158. [PMID: 29596346 PMCID: PMC5923452 DOI: 10.3390/v10040158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2018] [Revised: 03/23/2018] [Accepted: 03/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In Germany, phage research and application can be traced back to the beginning of the 20th century. However, with the triumphal march of antibiotics around the world, the significance of bacteriophages faded in most countries, and respective research mainly focused on fundamental questions and niche applications. After a century, we pay tribute to the overuse of antibiotics that led to multidrug resistance and calls for new strategies to combat pathogenic microbes. Against this background, bacteriophages came into the spotlight of researchers and practitioners again resulting in a fast growing “phage community”. In October 2017, part of this community met at the 1st German Phage Symposium to share their knowledge and experiences. The participants discussed open questions and challenges related to phage therapy and the application of phages in general. This report summarizes the presentations given, highlights the main points of the round table discussion and concludes with an outlook for the different aspects of phage application.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Irene Huber
- Hohenheim Research Center for Health Sciences, University of Hohenheim, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany.
| | - Katerina Potapova
- Hohenheim Research Center for Health Sciences, University of Hohenheim, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany.
| | - Andreas Kuhn
- Hohenheim Research Center for Health Sciences, University of Hohenheim, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany.
- Institute of Microbiology, University of Hohenheim, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany.
| | - Herbert Schmidt
- Hohenheim Research Center for Health Sciences, University of Hohenheim, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany.
- Institute of Food Science and Biotechnology, University of Hohenheim, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany.
| | - Jörg Hinrichs
- Hohenheim Research Center for Health Sciences, University of Hohenheim, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany.
- Institute of Food Science and Biotechnology, University of Hohenheim, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany.
| | - Christine Rohde
- Leibniz-Institute DSMZ—German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany.
| | - Wolfgang Beyer
- Hohenheim Research Center for Health Sciences, University of Hohenheim, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany.
- Institute of Animal Sciences, University of Hohenheim, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Engineering of Phage-Derived Lytic Enzymes: Improving Their Potential as Antimicrobials. Antibiotics (Basel) 2018; 7:antibiotics7020029. [PMID: 29565804 PMCID: PMC6023083 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics7020029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2018] [Revised: 03/16/2018] [Accepted: 03/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Lytic enzymes encoded by bacteriophages have been intensively explored as alternative agents for combating bacterial pathogens in different contexts. The antibacterial character of these enzymes (enzybiotics) results from their degrading activity towards peptidoglycan, an essential component of the bacterial cell wall. In fact, phage lytic products have the capacity to kill target bacteria when added exogenously in the form of recombinant proteins. However, there is also growing recognition that the natural bactericidal activity of these agents can, and sometimes needs to be, substantially improved through manipulation of their functional domains or by equipping them with new functions. In addition, often, native lytic proteins exhibit features that restrict their applicability as effective antibacterials, such as poor solubility or reduced stability. Here, I present an overview of the engineering approaches that can be followed not only to overcome these and other restrictions, but also to generate completely new antibacterial agents with significantly enhanced characteristics. As conventional antibiotics are running short, the remarkable progress in this field opens up the possibility of tailoring efficient enzybiotics to tackle the most menacing bacterial infections.
Collapse
|
31
|
Love MJ, Bhandari D, Dobson RCJ, Billington C. Potential for Bacteriophage Endolysins to Supplement or Replace Antibiotics in Food Production and Clinical Care. Antibiotics (Basel) 2018; 7:E17. [PMID: 29495476 PMCID: PMC5872128 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics7010017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2017] [Revised: 02/06/2018] [Accepted: 02/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
There is growing concern about the emergence of bacterial strains showing resistance to all classes of antibiotics commonly used in human medicine. Despite the broad range of available antibiotics, bacterial resistance has been identified for every antimicrobial drug developed to date. Alarmingly, there is also an increasing prevalence of multidrug-resistant bacterial strains, rendering some patients effectively untreatable. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop alternatives to conventional antibiotics for use in the treatment of both humans and food-producing animals. Bacteriophage-encoded lytic enzymes (endolysins), which degrade the cell wall of the bacterial host to release progeny virions, are potential alternatives to antibiotics. Preliminary studies show that endolysins can disrupt the cell wall when applied exogenously, though this has so far proven more effective in Gram-positive bacteria compared with Gram-negative bacteria. Their potential for development is furthered by the prospect of bioengineering, and aided by the modular domain structure of many endolysins, which separates the binding and catalytic activities into distinct subunits. These subunits can be rearranged to create novel, chimeric enzymes with optimized functionality. Furthermore, there is evidence that the development of resistance to these enzymes may be more difficult compared with conventional antibiotics due to their targeting of highly conserved bonds.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Love
- Biomolecular Interaction Centre and School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 8041, New Zealand.
| | - Dinesh Bhandari
- Biomolecular Interaction Centre and School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 8041, New Zealand.
- Institute of Environmental Science and Research, Christchurch 8041, New Zealand.
| | - Renwick C J Dobson
- Biomolecular Interaction Centre and School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 8041, New Zealand.
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3052, Australia.
| | - Craig Billington
- Biomolecular Interaction Centre and School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 8041, New Zealand.
- Institute of Environmental Science and Research, Christchurch 8041, New Zealand.
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Gutiérrez D, Fernández L, Rodríguez A, García P. Are Phage Lytic Proteins the Secret Weapon To Kill Staphylococcus aureus? mBio 2018; 9:e01923-17. [PMID: 29362234 PMCID: PMC5784253 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01923-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is one of the most threatening microorganisms for global human health. The current strategies to reduce the impact of S. aureus include a restrictive control of worldwide antibiotic use, prophylactic measures to hinder contamination, and the search for novel antimicrobials to treat human and animal infections caused by this bacterium. The last strategy is currently the focus of considerable research. In this regard, phage lytic proteins (endolysins and virion-associated peptidoglycan hydrolases [VAPGHs]) have been proposed as suitable candidates. Indeed, these proteins display narrow-spectrum antimicrobial activity and a virtual lack of bacterial-resistance development. Additionally, the therapeutic use of phage lytic proteins in S. aureus animal infection models is yielding promising results, showing good efficacy without apparent side effects. Nonetheless, human clinical trials are still in progress, and data are not available yet. This minireview also analyzes the main obstacles for introducing phage lytic proteins as human therapeutics against S. aureus infections. Besides the common technological problems derived from large-scale production of therapeutic proteins, a major setback is the lack of a proper legal framework regulating their use. In that sense, the relevant health authorities should urgently have a timely discussion about these new antimicrobials. On the other hand, the research community should provide data to dispel any doubts regarding their efficacy and safety. Overall, the appropriate scientific data and regulatory framework will encourage pharmaceutical companies to invest in these promising antimicrobials.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Diana Gutiérrez
- Instituto de Productos Lácteos de Asturias (IPLA-CSIC), Villaviciosa, Asturias, Spain
| | - Lucía Fernández
- Instituto de Productos Lácteos de Asturias (IPLA-CSIC), Villaviciosa, Asturias, Spain
| | - Ana Rodríguez
- Instituto de Productos Lácteos de Asturias (IPLA-CSIC), Villaviciosa, Asturias, Spain
| | - Pilar García
- Instituto de Productos Lácteos de Asturias (IPLA-CSIC), Villaviciosa, Asturias, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Characterisation of the antibacterial properties of the recombinant phage endolysins AP50-31 and LysB4 as potent bactericidal agents against Bacillus anthracis. Sci Rep 2018; 8:18. [PMID: 29311588 PMCID: PMC5758571 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-18535-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2017] [Accepted: 12/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
The recombinant phage endolysins AP50-31 and LysB4 were developed using genetic information from bacteriophages AP50 and B4 and were produced by microbial cultivation followed by chromatographic purification. Subsequently, appropriate formulations were developed that provided an acceptable stability of the recombinant endolysins. The bacteriolytic properties of the formulated endolysins AP50-31 and LysB4 against several bacterial strains belonging to the Bacillus genus including Bacillus anthracis (anthrax) strains were examined. AP50-31 and LysB4 displayed rapid bacteriolytic activity and broad bacteriolytic spectra within the Bacillus genus, including bacteriolytic activity against all the B. anthracis strains tested. When administered intranasally, LysB4 completely protected A/J mice from lethality after infection with the spores of B. anthracis Sterne. When examined at 3 days post-infection, bacterial counts in the major organs (lung, liver, kidney, and spleen) were significantly lower compared with those of the control group that was not treated with endolysin. In addition, histopathological examinations revealed a marked improvement of pathological features in the LysB4-treated group. The results of this study support the idea that phage endolysins are promising candidates for developing therapeutics against anthrax infection.
Collapse
|
34
|
Haddad Kashani H, Schmelcher M, Sabzalipoor H, Seyed Hosseini E, Moniri R. Recombinant Endolysins as Potential Therapeutics against Antibiotic-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus: Current Status of Research and Novel Delivery Strategies. Clin Microbiol Rev 2018; 31:e00071-17. [PMID: 29187396 PMCID: PMC5740972 DOI: 10.1128/cmr.00071-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most common pathogens of humans and animals, where it frequently colonizes skin and mucosal membranes. It is of major clinical importance as a nosocomial pathogen and causative agent of a wide array of diseases. Multidrug-resistant strains have become increasingly prevalent and represent a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. For this reason, novel strategies to combat multidrug-resistant pathogens are urgently needed. Bacteriophage-derived enzymes, so-called endolysins, and other peptidoglycan hydrolases with the ability to disrupt cell walls represent possible alternatives to conventional antibiotics. These lytic enzymes confer a high degree of host specificity and could potentially replace or be utilized in combination with antibiotics, with the aim to specifically treat infections caused by Gram-positive drug-resistant bacterial pathogens such as methicillin-resistant S. aureus. LysK is one of the best-characterized endolysins with activity against multiple staphylococcal species. Various approaches to further enhance the antibacterial efficacy and applicability of endolysins have been demonstrated. These approaches include the construction of recombinant endolysin derivatives and the development of novel delivery strategies for various applications, such as the production of endolysins in lactic acid bacteria and their conjugation to nanoparticles. These novel strategies are a major focus of this review.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hamed Haddad Kashani
- Anatomical Sciences Research Center, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran
| | - Mathias Schmelcher
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Hamed Sabzalipoor
- Department of Nanobiotechnology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Elahe Seyed Hosseini
- Anatomical Sciences Research Center, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran
| | - Rezvan Moniri
- Anatomical Sciences Research Center, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Szaleniec J, Górski A, Szaleniec M, Międzybrodzki R, Weber-Dąbrowska B, Stręk P, Składzień J. Can phage therapy solve the problem of recalcitrant chronic rhinosinusitis? Future Microbiol 2017; 12:1427-1442. [PMID: 29027819 DOI: 10.2217/fmb-2017-0073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) affects 5-15% of the global population. In some patients, the infectious exacerbations of the disease are recalcitrant to medical treatment and surgery. These cases are probably associated with the presence of bacterial biofilms. Bacteriophage (phage) therapy seems to be a promising antibiofilm strategy. The efficacy of phage therapy in sinonasal infections has been demonstrated both in vitro and in animal models. In the past, phage preparations were also administered to humans with CRS with favorable outcomes and no significant side effects. Very recently, the safety and efficacy of phage therapy in otolaryngological infections has been demonstrated in pioneer Phase I/II clinical trials. This review addresses the potential of phage therapy to treat CRS. We also discuss issues that require further research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Szaleniec
- Department of Otolaryngology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Sniadeckich 2, 31-531 Krakow, Poland
| | - Andrzej Górski
- Institute of Immunology & Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Weigla 12, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland.,Transplantation Institute, Medical University of Warsaw, Nowogrodzka 59, 02-006 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Maciej Szaleniec
- Jerzy Haber Institute of Catalysis & Surface Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Niezapominajek 8, 30-239 Krakow, Poland
| | - Ryszard Międzybrodzki
- Institute of Immunology & Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Weigla 12, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland.,Transplantation Institute, Medical University of Warsaw, Nowogrodzka 59, 02-006 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Beata Weber-Dąbrowska
- Institute of Immunology & Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Weigla 12, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Paweł Stręk
- Department of Otolaryngology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Sniadeckich 2, 31-531 Krakow, Poland
| | - Jacek Składzień
- Department of Otolaryngology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Sniadeckich 2, 31-531 Krakow, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Endolysins of Bacteriophages as an Anti-Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Infection in Children: A Narrative Review. JOURNAL OF PEDIATRICS REVIEW 2017. [DOI: 10.5812/jpr.11562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
|
37
|
Recent advances in therapeutic delivery systems of bacteriophage and bacteriophage-encoded endolysins. Ther Deliv 2017. [DOI: 10.4155/tde-2017-0040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibiotics have been the cornerstone of clinical management of bacterial infection since their discovery in the early 20th century. However, their widespread and often indiscriminate use has now led to reports of multidrug resistance becoming globally commonplace. Bacteriophage therapy has undergone a recent revival in battle against pathogenic bacteria, as the self-replicating and co-evolutionary features of these predatory virions offer several advantages over conventional therapeutic agents. In particular, the use of targeted bacteriophage therapy from specialized delivery platforms has shown particular promise owing to the control of delivery location, administration conditions and dosage of the therapeutic cargo. This review presents an overview of the recent formulations and applications of such delivery vehicles as an innovative and elegant tool for bacterial control.
Collapse
|
38
|
Haddad Kashani H, Fahimi H, Dasteh Goli Y, Moniri R. A Novel Chimeric Endolysin with Antibacterial Activity against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2017; 7:290. [PMID: 28713777 PMCID: PMC5491540 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2017.00290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2016] [Accepted: 06/14/2017] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Cysteine/histidine-dependent amidohydrolase/peptidase (CHAP) and amidase are known as catalytic domains of the bacteriophage-derived endolysin LysK and were previously reported to show lytic activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). In the current study, the in silico design and analysis of chimeric CHAP-amidase model was applied to enhance the stability and solubility of protein, which was achieved through improving the properties of primary, secondary and tertiary structures. The coding gene sequence of the chimeric CHAP-amidase was synthesized and subcloned into the pET-22(+) expression vector, and the recombinant protein was expressed in E. coli BL21 (DE3) strain. Subsequent affinity-based purification yielded ~12 mg soluble protein per liter of E. coli culture. Statistical analysis indicated that concentrations of ≥1 μg/mL of the purified protein have significant antibacterial activity against S. aureus MRSA252 cells. The engineered chimeric CHAP-amidase exhibited 3.2 log reduction of MRSA252 cell counts at the concentration of 10 μg/mL. A synergistic interaction between CHAP-amidase and vancomycin was detected by using checkerboard assay and calculating the fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) index. This synergistic effect was shown by 8-fold reduction in the minimum inhibitory concentration of vancomycin. The chimeric CHAP-amidase displayed strong antibacterial activity against S. aureus, S. epidermidis, and enterococcus. However, it did not indicate any significant antibacterial activity against E. coli and Lactococcus lactis. Taken together, these findings suggest that our chimeric CHAP-amidase might represent potential to be used for the development of efficient antibacterial therapies targeting MRSA and certain Gram-positive bacteria.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hamed Haddad Kashani
- Anatomical Sciences Research Center, Kashan University of Medical SciencesKashan, Iran
| | - Hossein Fahimi
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Sciences, Faculty of Advanced Sciences and Technology, Pharmaceutical Sciences Branch, Islamic Azad UniversityTehran, Iran
| | - Yasaman Dasteh Goli
- Department of Biology, University of MarylandCollege Park, MD, United States
| | - Rezvan Moniri
- Anatomical Sciences Research Center, Kashan University of Medical SciencesKashan, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Herten M, Idelevich EA, Sielker S, Becker K, Scherzinger AS, Osada N, Torsello GB, Bisdas T. Vascular Graft Impregnation with Antibiotics: The Influence of High Concentrations of Rifampin, Vancomycin, Daptomycin, and Bacteriophage Endolysin HY-133 on Viability of Vascular Cells. Med Sci Monit Basic Res 2017; 23:250-257. [PMID: 28652563 PMCID: PMC5498120 DOI: 10.12659/msmbr.902879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Rifampin-soaked synthetic prosthetic grafts have been widely used for prevention or treatment of vascular graft infections (VGIs). This in vitro study investigated the effect of the antibiotics daptomycin and vancomycin and the new recombinant bacteriophage endolysin HY-133 on vascular cells, as potential alternatives compared to rifampin. Material/Methods Primary human ECs, vascular smooth muscle cells (vSMC), and fibroblasts were cultivated in 96-well plates and incubated with rifampin, daptomycin, vancomycin, and endolysin HY-133 for 24 h. Subsequently, after washing, cell viability was determined by measuring mitochondrial ATP concentration. Antibiotics were used in their corresponding minimum and maximum serum concentrations, in decimal multiples and in maximum soaking concentration. The experiments were performed in triplicate. Results The 10-fold max serum concentrations of rifampin, daptomycin, and vancomycin did not influence viability of EC and vSMC (100 μg/ml, p>0.170). Higher concentrations of rifampin (>1 mg/ml) significantly (p<0.001) reduced cell viability of all cell types. For the other antibiotics, high concentrations (close to maximum soaking concentration) were most cytotoxic for EC and vSMC and fibroblasts (p<0.001). Endolysin did not display any cytotoxicity towards vascular cells. Conclusions Results of this in vitro study show the high cytotoxicity of rifampin against vascular cells, and may re-initiate the discussion about the benefit of prophylactic pre-soaking in high concentrations of rifampin. Further studies are necessary to determine the influence of rifampin on the restoration of vessel functionality versus its prophylactic effect against VGIs. Future use of recombinant phage endolysins for alternative prophylactic strategies needs further investigations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Monika Herten
- Clinic for Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, University Hospital Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Evgeny A Idelevich
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Hospital Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Sonja Sielker
- Department of Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospital Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Karsten Becker
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Hospital Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | | | - Nani Osada
- Clinic for Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, University Hospital Münster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Giovanni B Torsello
- Clinic for Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, University Hospital Muenster, Muenster, Germany.,Department of Vascular Surgery, St. Franziskus-Hospital GmbH, Muenster, Germany
| | - Theodosios Bisdas
- Department of Vascular Surgery, St. Franziskus-Hospital GmbH, Muenster, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Kwon SJ, Kim D, Lee I, Kim J, Dordick JS. In vitro gene expression-coupled bacterial cell chip for screening species-specific antimicrobial enzymes. Biotechnol Bioeng 2017; 114:1648-1657. [PMID: 28369698 DOI: 10.1002/bit.26300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2017] [Revised: 03/17/2017] [Accepted: 03/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Targeting infectious bacterial pathogens is important for reducing the evolution of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and preserving the endogenous human microbiome. Cell lytic enzymes including bacteriophage endolysins, bacterial autolysins, and other bacteriolysins are useful antibiotic alternatives due to their exceptional target selectivity, which may be used to lysins rapidly kill target bacteria and their high specificity permit the normal commensal microflora to be left undisturbed. Genetic information of numerous lysins is currently available, but the identification of their antimicrobial function and specificity has been limited because most lysins are often poorly expressed and exhibit low solubilities. Here, we report the development of bacterial cell chip for rapidly accessing the function of diverse genes that are suggestive of encoding lysins. This approach can be used to evaluate rapidly the species-specific antimicrobial activity of diverse lysins synthesized from in vitro transcription and translation (TNT) of plasmid DNA. In addition, new potent lysins can be assessed that are not expressed in hosts and display low solubility. As a result of evaluating the species-specific antimicrobial function of 11 (un)known lysins with an in vitro TNT-coupled bacterial cell chip, a potent recombinant lysin against Staphylococcus strains, SA1, was identified. The SA1 was highly potent against not only S. aureus, but also both lysostaphin-resistant S. simulans and S. epidermidis cells. To this end, the SA1 may be applicable to treat both methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and lysostaphin-resistant MRSA mutants. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2017;114: 1648-1657. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Seok-Joon Kwon
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 110 8th Street, Troy, New York, 12180
| | - Domyoung Kim
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 110 8th Street, Troy, New York, 12180
| | - Inseon Lee
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Jungbae Kim
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Jonathan S Dordick
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 110 8th Street, Troy, New York, 12180
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Hathaway H, Ajuebor J, Stephens L, Coffey A, Potter U, Sutton JM, Jenkins ATA. Thermally triggered release of the bacteriophage endolysin CHAP K and the bacteriocin lysostaphin for the control of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). J Control Release 2016; 245:108-115. [PMID: 27908758 PMCID: PMC5234552 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2016.11.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2016] [Revised: 10/19/2016] [Accepted: 11/25/2016] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus infections of the skin and soft tissue pose a major concern to public health, largely owing to the steadily increasing prevalence of drug resistant isolates. As an alternative mode of treatment both bacteriophage endolysins and bacteriocins have been shown to possess antimicrobial efficacy against multiple species of bacteria including otherwise drug resistant strains. Despite this, the administration and exposure of such antimicrobials should be restricted until required in order to discourage the continued evolution of bacterial resistance, whilst maintaining the activity and stability of such proteinaceous structures. Utilising the increase in skin temperature during infection, the truncated bacteriophage endolysin CHAPK and the staphylococcal bacteriocin lysostaphin have been co-administered in a thermally triggered manner from Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) nanoparticles. The thermoresponsive nature of the PNIPAM polymer has been employed in order to achieve the controlled expulsion of a synergistic enzybiotic cocktail consisting of CHAPK and lysostaphin. The point at which this occurs is modifiable, in this case corresponding to the threshold temperature associated with an infected wound. Consequently, bacterial lysis was observed at 37 °C, whilst growth was maintained at the uninfected skin temperature of 32 °C.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Jude Ajuebor
- Department of Biological Sciences, Cork Institute of Technology, T12 P928, Ireland
| | - Liam Stephens
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bath, BA2 7AY, UK
| | - Aidan Coffey
- Department of Biological Sciences, Cork Institute of Technology, T12 P928, Ireland
| | - Ursula Potter
- Microscopy and Analysis Suite, University of Bath, BA2 7AY, UK
| | - J Mark Sutton
- Technology Development Group, Public Health England, Porton Down, SP4 0JG, UK
| | | |
Collapse
|
42
|
Fan J, Zeng Z, Mai K, Yang Y, Feng J, Bai Y, Sun B, Xie Q, Tong Y, Ma J. Preliminary treatment of bovine mastitis caused by Staphylococcus aureus, with trx-SA1, recombinant endolysin of S. aureus bacteriophage IME-SA1. Vet Microbiol 2016; 191:65-71. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2016.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2015] [Revised: 06/01/2016] [Accepted: 06/04/2016] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
|
43
|
Ajuebor J, McAuliffe O, O'Mahony J, Ross RP, Hill C, Coffey A. Bacteriophage endolysins and their applications. Sci Prog 2016; 99:183-199. [PMID: 28742472 PMCID: PMC10365499 DOI: 10.3184/003685016x14627913637705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Endolysins (lysins) are bacteriophage-encoded enzymes that have evolved to degrade specific bonds within the bacterial cell wall. These enzymes represent a novel class of antibacterial agents against infectious pathogens, especially in light of multidrug-resistant bacteria, which have made antibiotic therapy increasingly redundant. Lysins have been used successfully to eliminate/control bacterial pathogens in various anatomical locations in mouse and other animal models. Engineering tactics have also been successfully applied to improve lysin function. This review discusses the structure and function of lysins. It highlights protein-engineering tactics utilised to improve lysin activity. It also reviews the applications of lysins towards food biopreservation, therapeutics, biofilm elimination and diagnostics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jim O'Mahony
- Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) at the Department of Biological Sciences
| | - R. Paul Ross
- Dean of the College of Science Engineering and Food Science at University College Cork
| | - Colin Hill
- University College Cork and a Principal Investigator in the Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre
| | - Aidan Coffey
- Cork Institute of Technology at the Department of Biological Sciences and Head of the BioExplore Research Centre
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Roach DR, Donovan DM. Antimicrobial bacteriophage-derived proteins and therapeutic applications. BACTERIOPHAGE 2015; 5:e1062590. [PMID: 26442196 DOI: 10.1080/21597081.2015.1062590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 136] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2015] [Revised: 06/08/2015] [Accepted: 06/11/2015] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Antibiotics have the remarkable power to control bacterial infections. Unfortunately, widespread use, whether regarded as prudent or not, has favored the emergence and persistence of antibiotic resistant strains of human pathogenic bacteria, resulting in a global health threat. Bacteriophages (phages) are parasites that invade the cells of virtually all known bacteria. Phages reproduce by utilizing the host cell's machinery to replicate viral proteins and genomic material, generally damaging and killing the cell in the process. Thus, phage can be exploited therapeutically as bacteriolytic agents against bacteria. Furthermore, understanding of the molecular processes involved in the viral life cycle, particularly the entry and cell lysis steps, has led to the development of viral proteins as antibacterial agents. Here we review the current preclinical state of using phage-derived endolysins, virion-associated peptidoglycan hydrolases, polysaccharide depolymerases, and holins for the treatment of bacterial infection. The scope of this review is a focus on the viral proteins that have been assessed for protective effects against human pathogenic bacteria in animal models of infection and disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dwayne R Roach
- Molecular Biology of the Genes in Extremophiles; Department of Microbiology; Institute Pasteur ; Paris, France
| | - David M Donovan
- Animal Biosciences and Biotechnology Laboratory; NEA; Agricultural Research Service; US Department of Agriculture ; Beltsville, MD USA
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Schmelcher M, Shen Y, Nelson DC, Eugster MR, Eichenseher F, Hanke DC, Loessner MJ, Dong S, Pritchard DG, Lee JC, Becker SC, Foster-Frey J, Donovan DM. Evolutionarily distinct bacteriophage endolysins featuring conserved peptidoglycan cleavage sites protect mice from MRSA infection. J Antimicrob Chemother 2015; 70:1453-65. [PMID: 25630640 DOI: 10.1093/jac/dku552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2014] [Accepted: 12/09/2014] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES In the light of increasing drug resistance in Staphylococcus aureus, bacteriophage endolysins [peptidoglycan hydrolases (PGHs)] have been suggested as promising antimicrobial agents. The aim of this study was to determine the antimicrobial activity of nine enzymes representing unique homology groups within a diverse class of staphylococcal PGHs. METHODS PGHs were recombinantly expressed, purified and tested for staphylolytic activity in multiple in vitro assays (zymogram, turbidity reduction assay and plate lysis) and against a comprehensive set of strains (S. aureus and CoNS). PGH cut sites in the staphylococcal peptidoglycan were determined by biochemical assays (Park-Johnson and Ghuysen procedures) and MS analysis. The enzymes were tested for their ability to eradicate static S. aureus biofilms and compared for their efficacy against systemic MRSA infection in a mouse model. RESULTS Despite similar modular architectures and unexpectedly conserved cleavage sites in the peptidoglycan (conferred by evolutionarily divergent catalytic domains), the enzymes displayed varying degrees of in vitro lytic activity against numerous staphylococcal strains, including cell surface mutants and drug-resistant strains, and proved effective against static biofilms. In a mouse model of systemic MRSA infection, six PGHs provided 100% protection from death, with animals being free of clinical signs at the end of the experiment. CONCLUSIONS Our results corroborate the high potential of PGHs for treatment of S. aureus infections and reveal unique antimicrobial and biochemical properties of the different enzymes, suggesting a high diversity of potential applications despite highly conserved peptidoglycan target sites.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mathias Schmelcher
- Animal Biosciences and Biotechnology Laboratory, ANRI, NEA, ARS, USDA, 10300 Baltimore Ave., Beltsville, MD 20705-2350, USA Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 7, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Yang Shen
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 7, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, University of Maryland, 9600 Gudelsky Drive, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | - Daniel C Nelson
- Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, University of Maryland, 9600 Gudelsky Drive, Rockville, MD 20850, USA Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, 8075 Greenmead Drive, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Marcel R Eugster
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 7, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Fritz Eichenseher
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 7, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Daniela C Hanke
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 7, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Martin J Loessner
- Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 7, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Shengli Dong
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, MCLM 552, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1530 3rd Ave., Birmingham, AL 35294-0005, USA
| | - David G Pritchard
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, MCLM 552, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1530 3rd Ave., Birmingham, AL 35294-0005, USA
| | - Jean C Lee
- Channing Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Stephen C Becker
- Animal Biosciences and Biotechnology Laboratory, ANRI, NEA, ARS, USDA, 10300 Baltimore Ave., Beltsville, MD 20705-2350, USA
| | - Juli Foster-Frey
- Animal Biosciences and Biotechnology Laboratory, ANRI, NEA, ARS, USDA, 10300 Baltimore Ave., Beltsville, MD 20705-2350, USA
| | - David M Donovan
- Animal Biosciences and Biotechnology Laboratory, ANRI, NEA, ARS, USDA, 10300 Baltimore Ave., Beltsville, MD 20705-2350, USA
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Rodríguez-Rubio L, Gutiérrez D, Donovan DM, Martínez B, Rodríguez A, García P. Phage lytic proteins: biotechnological applications beyond clinical antimicrobials. Crit Rev Biotechnol 2015; 36:542-52. [PMID: 25603721 DOI: 10.3109/07388551.2014.993587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Most bacteriophages encode two types of cell wall lytic proteins: endolysins (lysins) and virion-associated peptidoglycan hydrolases. Both enzymes have the ability to degrade the peptidoglycan of Gram-positive bacteria resulting in cell lysis when they are applied externally. Bacteriophage lytic proteins have a demonstrated potential in treating animal models of infectious diseases. There has also been an increase in the study of these lytic proteins for their application in areas such as food safety, pathogen detection/diagnosis, surfaces disinfection, vaccine development and nanotechnology. This review summarizes the more recent developments, outlines the full potential of these proteins to develop new biotechnological tools and discusses the feasibility of these proposals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lorena Rodríguez-Rubio
- a DairySafe Group, Department of Technology and Biotechnology of Dairy Products , Instituto de Productos Lácteos de Asturias (IPLA-CSIC) , Villaviciosa , Asturias , Spain and
| | - Diana Gutiérrez
- a DairySafe Group, Department of Technology and Biotechnology of Dairy Products , Instituto de Productos Lácteos de Asturias (IPLA-CSIC) , Villaviciosa , Asturias , Spain and
| | - David M Donovan
- b Animal Biosciences and Biotechnology Laboratory , BARC, ARS, USDA , Beltsville , MD , USA
| | - Beatriz Martínez
- a DairySafe Group, Department of Technology and Biotechnology of Dairy Products , Instituto de Productos Lácteos de Asturias (IPLA-CSIC) , Villaviciosa , Asturias , Spain and
| | - Ana Rodríguez
- a DairySafe Group, Department of Technology and Biotechnology of Dairy Products , Instituto de Productos Lácteos de Asturias (IPLA-CSIC) , Villaviciosa , Asturias , Spain and
| | - Pilar García
- a DairySafe Group, Department of Technology and Biotechnology of Dairy Products , Instituto de Productos Lácteos de Asturias (IPLA-CSIC) , Villaviciosa , Asturias , Spain and
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Metcalf JA, Funkhouser-Jones LJ, Brileya K, Reysenbach AL, Bordenstein SR. Antibacterial gene transfer across the tree of life. eLife 2014; 3. [PMID: 25422936 PMCID: PMC4241558 DOI: 10.7554/elife.04266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2014] [Accepted: 10/16/2014] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Though horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is widespread, genes and taxa experience biased rates of transferability. Curiously, independent transmission of homologous DNA to archaea, bacteria, eukaryotes, and viruses is extremely rare and often defies ecological and functional explanations. Here, we demonstrate that a bacterial lysozyme family integrated independently in all domains of life across diverse environments, generating the only glycosyl hydrolase 25 muramidases in plants and archaea. During coculture of a hydrothermal vent archaeon with a bacterial competitor, muramidase transcription is upregulated. Moreover, recombinant lysozyme exhibits broad-spectrum antibacterial action in a dose-dependent manner. Similar to bacterial transfer of antibiotic resistance genes, transfer of a potent antibacterial gene across the universal tree seemingly bestows a niche-transcending adaptation that trumps the barriers against parallel HGT to all domains. The discoveries also comprise the first characterization of an antibacterial gene in archaea and support the pursuit of antibiotics in this underexplored group. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.04266.001 Living things inherit most of their genetic material from their parents, so genes tend to be passed on from one generation to the next—from ancestors to descendants. Sometimes, however, DNA is transferred from one organism to another by other means. These events, collectively called horizontal gene transfer, are fairly common in nature; genes have been passed between different species as well as between different groups of organisms. For example, genes that confer resistance to antibacterial drugs have transferred from one species of bacteria to another, and other genes have also ‘jumped’ from bacteria to plants or animals. Now Metcalf et al. have studied a gene that first arose in bacteria and that encodes an enzyme called a lysozyme. This enzyme breaks down the outer casing of a bacterial cell: a step that is required for a bacterium to reproduce and divide in two. When Metcalf et al. searched for relatives of the lysozyme gene, they found copies in many other species of bacteria and revealed that this gene has been repeatedly transferred between different bacteria. Members of the lysozyme gene family have also ‘jumped out’ of bacteria and into other organisms at least four times. Metcalf et al. found related lysozyme genes in a plant, an insect, many species of fungi, and a single-celled microbe (called an archaeon) that lives at hot, deep-sea vents. A gene family being spread this widely across the tree of life has not been seen before. Nevertheless, as DNA is a common biological language to all living things, it is likely that all the different species that have received a lysozyme gene might use it for similar purposes. Metcalf et al. reveal that the lysozyme could be being used as an antibacterial molecule. The archaeon lysozyme can kill a broad range of bacteria; and when the gene was transferred into Escherichia coli bacteria, only the bacteria that mutated the lysozyme gene to render it useless were able to survive. Metcalf et al. also revealed that the archaeon microbe produces more of the enzyme if bacteria are present, which allows it to outcompete these bacteria. These findings suggest that there may be a number of horizontally transferred genes that have antibacterial activity against a wide range of bacteria. Searching for these genes—particularly in the largely underexplored group of archaea—might reveal new sources for antibiotic drugs to treat bacterial infections. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.04266.002
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jason A Metcalf
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, United States
| | | | - Kristen Brileya
- Department of Biology, Portland State University, Portland, United States
| | | | - Seth R Bordenstein
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, United States
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Fenton M, Cooney JC, Ross RP, Sleator RD, McAuliffe O, O'Mahony J, Coffey A. In silico modeling of the staphylococcal bacteriophage-derived peptidase CHAP(K). BACTERIOPHAGE 2014; 1:198-206. [PMID: 23050213 PMCID: PMC3448105 DOI: 10.4161/bact.1.4.18245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to use comparative modeling to predict the three-dimensional structure of the CHAPK protein (cysteine, histidine-dependent amidohydrolase/peptidase domain of the LysK endolysin, derived from bacteriophage K). Iterative PSI-BLAST searches against the Protein Data Bank (PDB) and nonredundant (nr) databases were used to populate a multiple alignment for analysis using the T-Coffee Expresso server. A consensus Maximum Parsimony phylogenetic tree with a bootstrap analysis setting of 1,000 replicates was constructed using MEGA4. Structural templates relevant to our target (CHAPK) were identified, processed in Expresso and used to generate a 3D model in the alignment mode of SWISS-MODEL. These templates were also processed in the I-TASSER web server. A Staphylococcus saprophyticus CHAP domain protein, 2K3A, was identified as the structural template in both servers. The I-TASSER server generated the CHAPK model with the best bond geometries when analyzed using PROCHECK and the most logical organization of the structure. The predicted 3D model indicates that CHAPK has a papain-like fold. Circular dichroism spectropolarimetry also indicated that CHAPK has an αβ fold, which is consistent with the model presented. The putative active site maintained a highly conserved Cys54-His117-Glu134 charge relay and an oxyanion hole residue Asn136. The residue triplet, Cys-His-Glu, is known to be a viable proteolytic triad in which we predict the Cys residue is used in a nucleophilic attack on peptide bonds at a specific site in the pentaglycine cross bridge of staphylococcal cell wall peptidoglycan. Use of comparative modeling has allowed approximation of the 3D structure of CHAPK giving information on the structure and an insight into the binding and active site of the catalytic domain. This may facilitate its development as an alternative antibacterial agent.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mark Fenton
- Department of Biological Sciences; Cork Institute of Technology; Cork, Ireland
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
49
|
Yang H, Yu J, Wei H. Engineered bacteriophage lysins as novel anti-infectives. Front Microbiol 2014; 5:542. [PMID: 25360133 PMCID: PMC4199284 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2014.00542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2014] [Accepted: 09/29/2014] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophage lysins, the highly evolved specific peptidoglycan hydrolases, have long been demonstrated to be effective enzybiotics in various infectious models. The modular structure of lysins makes it possible to design bioengineered lysins that have desired properties, such as higher activity, or broader killing spectrum. Moreover, lysins can even be engineered to kill Gram-negative bacterial pathogens from without, a property that is not present in natural lysins. In this era of ever increasing multidrug resistant pathogens, engineered lysins represent a new class of enzybiotics that are powerful and readily available to fight antimicrobial resistance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hang Yang
- Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Wuhan, China
| | - Junping Yu
- Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Wuhan, China
| | - Hongping Wei
- Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Wuhan, China
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Chhibber S, Gupta P, Kaur S. Bacteriophage as effective decolonising agent for elimination of MRSA from anterior nares of BALB/c mice. BMC Microbiol 2014; 14:212. [PMID: 25112504 PMCID: PMC4236609 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-014-0212-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2013] [Accepted: 07/21/2014] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nasal carriers not only pose serious threat to themselves but also to the community by playing an active role in the dissemination of serious and life threatening S. aureus especially MRSA strains. The present study focuses on the use of broad spectrum lytic phage as decolonising agent. In addition, the combined use of lytic phage with mupirocin has also been investigated as an effective decolonising regimen. The effect of phage on the adherence, invasion and cytotoxic effect of MRSA strains on nasal epithelial cells was studied in an ex-vivo model of cultured murine nasal epithelial cells. This was followed by demonstration of therapeutic potential of phage along with mupirocin in decolonising the nares of BALB/c mice using a nasal model of MRSA colonisation. RESULTS Phage was able to significantly reduce the in vitro adherence, invasion and cytotoxicity of MRSA 43300 as well as other clinical MRSA strains on murine nasal epithelial cells as compared to untreated control. Also, the frequency of emergence of spontaneous mutants decreased to negligible levels when both the agents (phage and mupirocin) were used together. CONCLUSION Phage MR-10, given along with mupirocin showed an additive effect and the combination was able to effectively eradicate the colonising MRSA population from the nares of mice by day 5.
Collapse
|