1
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Eiselt VA, Bereswill S, Heimesaat MM. Phage therapy in lung infections caused by multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa - A literature review. Eur J Microbiol Immunol (Bp) 2024; 14:1-12. [PMID: 38261031 PMCID: PMC10895363 DOI: 10.1556/1886.2023.00060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Pulmonary infections of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) or in intensive care units are frequently caused by the Gram-negative opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Since these bacteria are commonly inherently multidrug-resistant (MDR) and hence, antibiotic treatment options are limited, bacteriophages may provide alternative therapeutic and prophylactic measures in the combat of pneumonia caused by P. aeruginosa. This prompted us to perform a comprehensive literature survey of current knowledge regarding effects of phages applied against pulmonary P. aeruginosa infections. The included 23 studies revealed that P. aeruginosa specific phages lyse and eliminate the bacteria even in case of biofilm production in vitro, whereas application to mice and men resulted in mitigated P. aeruginosa induced clinical signs and enhanced survival. Besides distinct host immune responses, no major adverse effects limiting therapeutic and/or prophylactic phage application were noted. However, the immune system and antibiotics generate synergies with phages due to the mutable sensitivity of P. aeruginosa. In conclusion, results summarized in this review provide evidence that phages constitute promising alternative treatment options for lung infections caused by MDR P. aeruginosa. Further studies are needed, however, to underscore the efficacy and safety aspects of phages application to infected patients including immune-compromised individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent A Eiselt
- Gastrointestinal Microbiology Research Group, Institute of Microbiology, Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Stefan Bereswill
- Gastrointestinal Microbiology Research Group, Institute of Microbiology, Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Markus M Heimesaat
- Gastrointestinal Microbiology Research Group, Institute of Microbiology, Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
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2
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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] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [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.
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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
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3
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Moroz OV, Blagova E, Lebedev AA, Skov LK, Pache RA, Schnorr KM, Kiemer L, Friis EP, Nymand-Grarup S, Ming L, Ye L, Klausen M, Cohn MT, Schmidt EGW, Davies GJ, Wilson KS. Module walking using an SH3-like cell-wall-binding domain leads to a new GH184 family of muramidases. Acta Crystallogr D Struct Biol 2023; 79:S2059798323005004. [PMID: 37428847 PMCID: PMC10394673 DOI: 10.1107/s2059798323005004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Muramidases (also known as lysozymes) hydrolyse the peptidoglycan component of the bacterial cell wall and are found in many glycoside hydrolase (GH) families. Similar to other glycoside hydrolases, muramidases sometimes have noncatalytic domains that facilitate their interaction with the substrate. Here, the identification, characterization and X-ray structure of a novel fungal GH24 muramidase from Trichophaea saccata is first described, in which an SH3-like cell-wall-binding domain (CWBD) was identified by structure comparison in addition to its catalytic domain. Further, a complex between a triglycine peptide and the CWBD from T. saccata is presented that shows a possible anchor point of the peptidoglycan on the CWBD. A `domain-walking' approach, searching for other sequences with a domain of unknown function appended to the CWBD, was then used to identify a group of fungal muramidases that also contain homologous SH3-like cell-wall-binding modules, the catalytic domains of which define a new GH family. The properties of some representative members of this family are described as well as X-ray structures of the independent catalytic and SH3-like domains of the Kionochaeta sp., Thermothielavioides terrestris and Penicillium virgatum enzymes. This work confirms the power of the module-walking approach, extends the library of known GH families and adds a new noncatalytic module to the muramidase arsenal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga V Moroz
- York Structural Biology Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of York, York YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
| | - Elena Blagova
- York Structural Biology Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of York, York YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
| | - Andrey A Lebedev
- CCP4, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Oxford, Didcot OX11 0QX, United Kingdom
| | - Lars K Skov
- Novozymes A/S, Biologiens Vej 2, 2800 Kgs Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Roland A Pache
- Novozymes A/S, Biologiens Vej 2, 2800 Kgs Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Kirk M Schnorr
- Novozymes A/S, Biologiens Vej 2, 2800 Kgs Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Lars Kiemer
- Novozymes A/S, Biologiens Vej 2, 2800 Kgs Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Esben P Friis
- Novozymes A/S, Biologiens Vej 2, 2800 Kgs Lyngby, Denmark
| | | | - Li Ming
- Novozymes Investment Co. Ltd, 14 Xinxi Road, Beijing 100085, People's Republic of China
| | - Liu Ye
- Novozymes Investment Co. Ltd, 14 Xinxi Road, Beijing 100085, People's Republic of China
| | - Mikkel Klausen
- Novozymes A/S, Biologiens Vej 2, 2800 Kgs Lyngby, Denmark
| | | | | | - Gideon J Davies
- York Structural Biology Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of York, York YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
| | - Keith S Wilson
- York Structural Biology Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of York, York YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
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4
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Chen K, Guan Y, Hu R, Cui X, Liu Q. Characterization of the LysP2110-HolP2110 Lysis System in Ralstonia solanacearum Phage P2110. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:10375. [PMID: 37373522 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241210375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Ralstonia solanacearum, a pathogen causing widespread bacterial wilt disease in numerous crops, currently lacks an optimal control agent. Given the limitations of traditional chemical control methods, including the risk of engendering drug-resistant strains and environmental harm, there is a dire need for sustainable alternatives. One alternative is lysin proteins that selectively lyse bacteria without contributing to resistance development. This work explored the biocontrol potential of the LysP2110-HolP2110 system of Ralstonia solanacearum phage P2110. Bioinformatics analyses pinpointed this system as the primary phage-mediated host cell lysis mechanism. Our data suggest that LysP2110, a member of the Muraidase superfamily, requires HolP2110 for efficient bacterial lysis, presumably via translocation across the bacterial membrane. LysP2110 also exhibits broad-spectrum antibacterial activity in the presence of the outer membrane permeabilizer EDTA. Additionally, we identified HolP2110 as a distinct holin structure unique to the Ralstonia phages, underscoring its crucial role in controlling bacterial lysis through its effect on bacterial ATP levels. These findings provide valuable insights into the function of the LysP2110-HolP2110 lysis system and establish LysP2110 as a promising antimicrobial agent for biocontrol applications. This study underpins the potential of these findings in developing effective and environment-friendly biocontrol strategies against bacterial wilt and other crop diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaihong Chen
- College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Yanhui Guan
- College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Ronghua Hu
- College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Xiaodong Cui
- College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Qiongguang Liu
- College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
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5
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Stojowska-Swędrzyńska K, Kuczyńska-Wiśnik D, Laskowska E. New Strategies to Kill Metabolically-Dormant Cells Directly Bypassing the Need for Active Cellular Processes. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:1044. [PMID: 37370363 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12061044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic therapy failure is often caused by the presence of persister cells, which are metabolically-dormant bacteria capable of surviving exposure to antimicrobials. Under favorable conditions, persisters can resume growth leading to recurrent infections. Moreover, several studies have indicated that persisters may promote the evolution of antimicrobial resistance and facilitate the selection of specific resistant mutants; therefore, in light of the increasing numbers of multidrug-resistant infections worldwide, developing efficient strategies against dormant cells is of paramount importance. In this review, we present and discuss the efficacy of various agents whose antimicrobial activity is independent of the metabolic status of the bacteria as they target cell envelope structures. Since the biofilm-environment is favorable for the formation of dormant subpopulations, anti-persister strategies should also include agents that destroy the biofilm matrix or inhibit biofilm development. This article reviews examples of selected cell wall hydrolases, polysaccharide depolymerases and antimicrobial peptides. Their combination with standard antibiotics seems to be the most promising approach in combating persistent infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karolina Stojowska-Swędrzyńska
- Department of General and Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland
| | - Dorota Kuczyńska-Wiśnik
- Department of General and Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland
| | - Ewa Laskowska
- Department of General and Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland
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6
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Batugal T, Pendyala G, Tomasovic L, Varner C, Caplin JD, Page AM, Davis M, Satola SW, García AJ, Kane RS. Engineering active lysostaphin variants that incorporate noncanonical amino acids and characterizing the effects of site-specific PEGylation. Biotechnol Bioeng 2023; 120:1694-1701. [PMID: 36810983 DOI: 10.1002/bit.28360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Revised: 02/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
Abstract
We describe a facile strategy to identify sites for the incorporation of noncanonical amino acids into lysostaphin-an enzyme that degrades the cell wall of Staphylococcus aureus-while retaining stapholytic activity. We used this strategy to generate active variants of lysostaphin incorporating para-azidophenylalanine. The incorporation of this "reactive handle" enabled the orthogonal site-specific modification of the enzyme variants with polyethylene glycol (PEG) using copper-free click cycloaddition. PEGylated lysostaphin variants could retain their stapholytic activity, with the extent of retention depending on the site of modification and the PEG molecular weight. The site-specific modification of lysostaphin could be useful not only for PEGylation to improve biocompatibility but also for the incorporation of the enzyme into hydrogels and other biomaterials and for studies of protein structure and dynamics. Moreover, the approach described herein could be readily applied to identify suitable sites for the incorporation of reactive handles into other proteins of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Troy Batugal
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Geetanjali Pendyala
- School of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Luke Tomasovic
- School of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Chad Varner
- School of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Jeremy D Caplin
- Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.,Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Alexander M Page
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and Emory Investigational Clinical Microbiology Core, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Michelle Davis
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and Emory Investigational Clinical Microbiology Core, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Sarah W Satola
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and Emory Investigational Clinical Microbiology Core, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Andrés J García
- Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.,Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Ravi S Kane
- School of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.,Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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7
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Liu P, Dong X, Cao X, Xie Q, Huang X, Jiang J, Dai H, Tang Z, Lin Y, Feng S, Luo K. Identification of Three Campylobacter Lysins and Enhancement of Their Anti-Escherichia coli Efficacy Using Colicin-Based Translocation and Receptor-Binding Domain Fusion. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0451522. [PMID: 36749047 PMCID: PMC10100823 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.04515-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The emergence of multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli, which poses a major threat to public health, has motivated the development of numerous alternative antimicrobials. Lysins are bacteriophage- and bacterium-derived peptidoglycan hydrolases that represent a new antibiotic treatment targeting bacterial cell walls. However, the bactericidal effect of native lysins on Gram-negative bacteria is restricted by the presence of an outer membrane. Here, we first evaluated the antibacterial activity of three Campylobacter-derived lysins (Clysins) against E. coli. To improve their transmembrane ability and antibacterial activities, six engineered Clysins were constructed by fusing with the translocation and receptor-binding (TRB) domains from two types of colicins (colicin A [TRBA] and colicin K [TRBK]), and their biological activities were determined. Notably, engineered lysin TRBK-Cly02 exhibited the highest bactericidal activity against the E. coli BL21 strain, with a reduction of 6.22 ± 0.34 log units of cells at a concentration of 60.1 μg/mL, and formed an observable inhibition zone even at a dose of 6.01 μg. Moreover, TRBK-Cly02 killed E. coli dose dependently and exhibited the strongest bactericidal activity at pH 6. It also exhibited potential bioactivity against multidrug-resistant E. coli clinical isolates. In summary, this study identified three lysins from Campylobacter strains against E. coli, and the enhancement of their antibacterial activities by TRB domains fusion may allow them to be developed as potential alternatives to antibiotics. IMPORTANCE Three lysins from Campylobacter, namely, Clysins, were investigated, and their antibacterial activities against E. coli were determined for the first time. To overcome the restriction of the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria, we combined the TRB domains of colicins with these Clysins. Moreover, we discovered that the Clysins fused with TRB domains from colicin K (TRBK) killed E. coli more effectively, and this provides a new foundation for the development of novel bioengineered lysins by employing TRBK constructs that target outer membrane receptor/transport systems. One of the designed lysins, TRBK-Cly02, exhibited potent bactericidal efficacy against E. coli strains and may be used for control of multidrug-resistant clinical isolates. The results suggest that TRBK-Cly02 can be considered a potential antibacterial agent against pathogenic E. coli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peiqi Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xinying Dong
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xuewei Cao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qianmei Xie
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiuqin Huang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jinfei Jiang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Huilin Dai
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zheng Tang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yizhen Lin
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Saixiang Feng
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Kaijian Luo
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
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8
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Morais D, Tanoeiro L, Marques AT, Gonçalves T, Duarte A, Matos APA, Vital JS, Cruz MEM, Carvalheiro MC, Anes E, Vítor JMB, Gaspar MM, Vale FF. Liposomal Delivery of Newly Identified Prophage Lysins in a Pseudomonas aeruginosa Model. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231710143. [PMID: 36077542 PMCID: PMC9456237 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231710143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a Gram-negative opportunistic bacterium that presents resistance to several antibiotics, thus, representing a major threat to human and animal health. Phage-derived products, namely lysins, or peptidoglycan-hydrolyzing enzymes, can be an effective weapon against antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Whereas in Gram-positive bacteria, lysis from without is facilitated by the exposed peptidoglycan layer, this is not possible in the outer membrane-protected peptidoglycan of Gram-negative bacteria. Here, we suggest the encapsulation of lysins in liposomes as a delivery system against Gram-negative bacteria, using the model of P. aeruginosa. Bioinformatic analysis allowed for the identification of 38 distinct complete prophages within 66 P. aeruginosa genomes (16 of which newly sequenced) and led to the identification of 19 lysins of diverse sequence and function, 5 of which proceeded to wet lab analysis. The four purifiable lysins showed hydrolytic activity against Gram-positive bacterial lawns and, on zymogram assays, constituted of autoclaved P. aeruginosa cells. Additionally, lysins Pa7 and Pa119 combined with an outer membrane permeabilizer showed activity against P. aeruginosa cells. These two lysins were successfully encapsulated in DPPC:DOPE:CHEMS (molar ratio 4:4:2) liposomes with an average encapsulation efficiency of 33.33% and 32.30%, respectively. The application of the encapsulated lysins to the model P. aeruginosa led to a reduction in cell viability and resulted in cell lysis as observed in MTT cell viability assays and electron microscopy. In sum, we report here that prophages may be important sources of new enzybiotics, with prophage lysins showing high diversity and activity. In addition, these enzybiotics following their incorporation in liposomes were able to potentiate their antibacterial effect against the Gram-negative bacteria P. aeruginosa, used as the model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Morais
- Pathogen Genome Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Luís Tanoeiro
- Pathogen Genome Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Andreia T. Marques
- Pathogen Genome Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Tiago Gonçalves
- Pathogen Genome Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal
- Advanced Technologies for Drug Delivery, Research Institute for Medicines (iMed-ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Aida Duarte
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal
- Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar Egas Moniz (CiiEM), Instituto Superior Egas Moniz, Quinta da Granja, 2829-511 Monte da Caparica, Portugal
| | - António Pedro Alves Matos
- Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar Egas Moniz (CiiEM), Instituto Superior Egas Moniz, Quinta da Granja, 2829-511 Monte da Caparica, Portugal
| | - Joana S. Vital
- Pathogen Genome Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Maria Eugénia Meirinhos Cruz
- Advanced Technologies for Drug Delivery, Research Institute for Medicines (iMed-ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Manuela Colla Carvalheiro
- Advanced Technologies for Drug Delivery, Research Institute for Medicines (iMed-ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Elsa Anes
- Host-Pathogen Interactions Unit, Research Institute for Medicines (iMed-ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Jorge M. B. Vítor
- Pathogen Genome Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Maria Manuela Gaspar
- Advanced Technologies for Drug Delivery, Research Institute for Medicines (iMed-ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal
- Correspondence: or (M.M.G.); or (F.F.V.)
| | - Filipa F. Vale
- Pathogen Genome Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal
- Correspondence: or (M.M.G.); or (F.F.V.)
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9
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Żebrowska J, Żołnierkiewicz O, Ponikowska M, Puchalski M, Krawczun N, Makowska J, Skowron P. Cloning and Characterization of a Thermostable Endolysin of Bacteriophage TP-84 as a Potential Disinfectant and Biofilm-Removing Biological Agent. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23147612. [PMID: 35886960 PMCID: PMC9325043 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23147612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Revised: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The obligatory step in the life cycle of a lytic bacteriophage is the release of its progeny particles from infected bacterial cells. The main barrier to overcome is the cell wall, composed of crosslinked peptidoglycan, which counteracts the pressure prevailing in the cytoplasm and protects the cell against osmotic lysis and mechanical damage. Bacteriophages have developed two strategies leading to the release of progeny particles: the inhibition of peptidoglycan synthesis and enzymatic cleavage by a bacteriophage-coded endolysin. In this study, we cloned and investigated the TP84_28 endolysin of the bacteriophage TP-84, which infects thermophilic Geobacillus stearothermophilus, determined the enzymatic characteristics, and initially evaluated the endolysin application as a non-invasive agent for disinfecting surfaces, including those exposed to high temperatures. Both the native and recombinant TP84_28 endolysins, obtained through the Escherichia coli T7-lac expression system, are highly thermostable and retain trace activity after incubation at 100 °C for 30 min. The proteins exhibit strong bacterial wall digestion activity up to 77.6 °C, decreasing to marginal activity at ambient temperatures. We assayed the lysis of various types of bacteria using TP84_28 endolysins: Gram-positive, Gram-negative, encapsulated, and pathogenic. Significant lytic activity was observed on the thermophilic and mesophilic Gram-positive bacteria and, to a lesser extent, on the thermophilic and mesophilic Gram-negative bacteria. The thermostable TP84_28 endolysin seems to be a promising mild agent for disinfecting surfaces exposed to high temperatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Żebrowska
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, 80-309 Gdansk, Poland; (O.Ż.); (M.P.); (N.K.); (P.S.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +48-58-523-52-41
| | - Olga Żołnierkiewicz
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, 80-309 Gdansk, Poland; (O.Ż.); (M.P.); (N.K.); (P.S.)
| | - Małgorzata Ponikowska
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, 80-309 Gdansk, Poland; (O.Ż.); (M.P.); (N.K.); (P.S.)
| | - Michał Puchalski
- Laboratory of Biopolymers Structure, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology UG&MUG, University of Gdansk, 80-309 Gdansk, Poland;
| | - Natalia Krawczun
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, 80-309 Gdansk, Poland; (O.Ż.); (M.P.); (N.K.); (P.S.)
| | - Joanna Makowska
- Department of General and Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, 80-309 Gdansk, Poland;
| | - Piotr Skowron
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, 80-309 Gdansk, Poland; (O.Ż.); (M.P.); (N.K.); (P.S.)
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10
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São-José C, Costa AR, Melo LDR. Editorial: Bacteriophages and Their Lytic Enzymes as Alternative Antibacterial Therapies in the Age of Antibiotic Resistance. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:884176. [PMID: 35401457 PMCID: PMC8991073 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.884176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Carlos São-José
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Ana Rita Costa
- Department of Bionanosciences, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands
| | - Luís D R Melo
- CEB - Centre of Biological Enginering, LIBRO-Laboratório de Investigação em Biofilmes Rosário Oliveira, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.,LABBELS - Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
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11
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Hong W, Nyaruaba R, Li X, Liu H, Yang H, Wei H. In-situ and Real-Time Monitoring of the Interaction Between Lysins and Staphylococcus aureus Biofilm by Surface Plasmon Resonance. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:783472. [PMID: 34917062 PMCID: PMC8670000 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.783472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus can produce a multilayered biofilm embedded in extracellular polymeric matrix. This biofilm is difficult to remove, insensitive to antibiotics, easy to develop drug-resistant strains and causes enormous problems to environments and health. Phage lysin which commonly consists of a catalytic domain (CD) and a cell-wall binding domain (CBD) is a powerful weapon against bacterial biofilm. However, the real-time interaction between lysin and S. aureus biofilm is still not fully understood. In this study, we monitored the interactions of three lysins (ClyF, ClyC, PlySs2) against culture-on-chip S. aureus biofilm, in real-time, based on surface plasmon resonance (SPR). A typical SPR response curve showed that the lysins bound to the biofilm rapidly and the biofilm destruction started at a longer time. By using 1:1 binding model analysis, affinity constants (KD) for ClyF, ClyC, and PlySs2 were found to be 3.18 ± 0.127 μM, 1.12 ± 0.026 μM, and 15.5 ± 0.514 μM, respectively. The fact that ClyF and PlySs2 shared the same CBD but showed different affinity to S. aureus biofilm suggested that, not only CBD, but also CD affects the binding activity of the entire lysin. The SPR platform can be applied to improve our understanding on the complex interactions between lysins and bacterial biofilm including association (adsorption) and disassociation (destruction).
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Hong
- CAS Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Raphael Nyaruaba
- CAS Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaohong Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Huan Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hang Yang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hongping Wei
- CAS Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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12
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Harhala M, Gembara K, Miernikiewicz P, Owczarek B, Kaźmierczak Z, Majewska J, Nelson DC, Dąbrowska K. DNA Dye Sytox Green in Detection of Bacteriolytic Activity: High Speed, Precision and Sensitivity Demonstrated With Endo lysins. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:752282. [PMID: 34759903 PMCID: PMC8575126 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.752282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Increasing number of deaths from multi-drug resistant bacterial infections has caused both the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to repeatedly call for development of new, non-traditional antibacterial treatments. Antimicrobial enzymes, including those derived from bacteriophages, known as endolysins or enzybiotics, are considered promising solutions among the emerging therapies. These naturally occurring proteins specifically destroy bacterial cell walls (peptidoglycan) and as such, are capable of killing several logs of bacteria within minutes. Some endolysins cause lysis of a wide range of susceptible bacteria, including both Gram-positive and Gram-negative organisms, whereas other endolysins are species- or even strain-specific. To make wide use of endolysins as antibacterial agents, some basic research issues remain to be clarified or addressed. Currently available methods for testing endolysin kinetics are indirect, require large numbers of bacteria, long incubation times and are affected by technical problems or limited reproducibility. Also, available methods are focused more on enzymatic activity rather than killing efficiency which is more relevant from a medical perspective. Results: We show a novel application of a DNA dye, SYTOX Green. It can be applied in comprehensive, real-time and rapid measurement of killing efficiency, lytic activity, and susceptibility of a bacterial population to lytic enzymes. Use of DNA dyes shows improved reaction times, higher sensitivity in low concentrations of bacteria, and independence of bacterial growth. Our data show high precision in lytic activity and enzyme efficiency measurements. This solution opens the way to the development of new, high throughput, precise measurements and tests in variety of conditions, thus unlocking new possibilities in development of novel antimicrobials and analysis of bacterial samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marek Harhala
- Laboratory of Phage Molecular Biology, Department of Phage Therapy, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Wrocław, Poland.,Research and Development Centre, Regional Specialist Hospital in Wrocław, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Gembara
- Laboratory of Phage Molecular Biology, Department of Phage Therapy, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Wrocław, Poland.,Research and Development Centre, Regional Specialist Hospital in Wrocław, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Paulina Miernikiewicz
- Laboratory of Phage Molecular Biology, Department of Phage Therapy, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Barbara Owczarek
- Bacteriophage Laboratory, Department of Phage Therapy, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Zuzanna Kaźmierczak
- Laboratory of Phage Molecular Biology, Department of Phage Therapy, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Wrocław, Poland.,Research and Development Centre, Regional Specialist Hospital in Wrocław, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Joanna Majewska
- Laboratory of Phage Molecular Biology, Department of Phage Therapy, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Daniel C Nelson
- Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, University of Maryland, Rockville, MD, United States
| | - Krystyna Dąbrowska
- Laboratory of Phage Molecular Biology, Department of Phage Therapy, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Wrocław, Poland.,Research and Development Centre, Regional Specialist Hospital in Wrocław, Wrocław, Poland
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13
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Vázquez R, Blanco-Gañán S, Ruiz S, García P. Mining of Gram-Negative Surface-Active Enzybiotic Candidates by Sequence-Based Calculation of Physicochemical Properties. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:660403. [PMID: 34113327 PMCID: PMC8185167 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.660403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Phage (endo)lysins are nowadays one of the most promising ways out of the current antibiotic resistance crisis. Either as sole therapeutics or as a complement to common antibiotic chemotherapy, lysins are already entering late clinical phases to get regulatory agencies’ authorization. Even the old paradigm of the inability of lysins to attack Gram-negative bacteria from without has already been overcome in a variety of ways: either by engineering approaches or investigating the natural mechanisms by which some wild-type lysins are able to interact with the bacterial surface. Such inherent ability of some lysins has been linked to antimicrobial peptide (AMP)-like regions, which are, on their own, a significant source for novel antimicrobials. Currently, though, many of the efforts for searching novel lysin-based antimicrobial candidates rely on experimental screenings. In this work, we have bioinformatically analyzed the C-terminal end of a collection of lysins from phages infecting the Gram-negative genus Pseudomonas. Through the computation of physicochemical properties, the probability of such regions to be an AMP was estimated by means of a predictive k-nearest neighbors (kNN) model. This way, a subset of putatively membrane-interacting lysins was obtained from the original database. Two of such candidates (named Pae87 and Ppl65) were prospectively tested in terms of muralytic, bacteriolytic, and bactericidal activity. Both of them were found to possess an activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and other Gram-negative bacterial pathogens, implying that the prediction of AMP-like regions could be a useful approach toward the mining of phage lysins to design and develop antimicrobials or antimicrobial parts for further engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Vázquez
- Departamento de Biotecnología Microbiana y de Plantas, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas (CIB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), Madrid, Spain
| | - Sofía Blanco-Gañán
- Departamento de Biotecnología Microbiana y de Plantas, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas (CIB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Susana Ruiz
- Departamento de Biotecnología Microbiana y de Plantas, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas (CIB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), Madrid, Spain
| | - Pedro García
- Departamento de Biotecnología Microbiana y de Plantas, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas (CIB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), Madrid, Spain
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14
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Pinto AM, Silva MD, Pastrana LM, Bañobre-López M, Sillankorva S. The clinical path to deliver encapsulated phages and lysins. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2021; 45:6204673. [PMID: 33784387 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuab019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The global emergence of multidrug-resistant pathogens is shaping the current dogma regarding the use of antibiotherapy. Many bacteria have evolved to become resistant to conventional antibiotherapy, representing a health and economic burden for those afflicted. The search for alternative and complementary therapeutic approaches has intensified and revived phage therapy. In recent decades, the exogenous use of lysins, encoded in phage genomes, has shown encouraging effectiveness. These two antimicrobial agents reduce bacterial populations; however, many barriers challenge their prompt delivery at the infection site. Encapsulation in delivery vehicles provides targeted therapy with a controlled compound delivery, surpassing chemical, physical and immunological barriers that can inactivate and eliminate them. This review explores phages and lysins' current use to resolve bacterial infections in the respiratory, digestive, and integumentary systems. We also highlight the different challenges they face in each of the three systems and discuss the advances towards a more expansive use of delivery vehicles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Mafalda Pinto
- Centre of Biological Engineering, LIBRO - Laboratório de Investigação em Biofilmes Rosário Oliveira, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal.,INL - International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory, Avenida Mestre José Veiga, Braga 4715-330, Portugal
| | - Maria Daniela Silva
- Centre of Biological Engineering, LIBRO - Laboratório de Investigação em Biofilmes Rosário Oliveira, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal.,INL - International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory, Avenida Mestre José Veiga, Braga 4715-330, Portugal
| | - Lorenzo M Pastrana
- INL - International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory, Avenida Mestre José Veiga, Braga 4715-330, Portugal
| | - Manuel Bañobre-López
- INL - International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory, Avenida Mestre José Veiga, Braga 4715-330, Portugal
| | - Sanna Sillankorva
- INL - International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory, Avenida Mestre José Veiga, Braga 4715-330, Portugal
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15
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van der Kamp I, Draper LA, Smith MK, Buttimer C, Ross RP, Hill C. A New Phage Lysin Isolated from the Oral Microbiome Targeting Streptococcus pneumoniae. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2020; 13:ph13120478. [PMID: 33352708 PMCID: PMC7767030 DOI: 10.3390/ph13120478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2020] [Revised: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus pneumoniae is highly pathogenic and causes several mucosal and invasive infections. Due to the rising number of multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains of S. pneumoniae, new antimicrobials with alternative mechanisms of action are urgently needed. In this study, we identified two new Streptococcal phages from the oral microbiome, 23TH and SA01. Their lysins, 23TH_48 and SA01_53, were recombinantly expressed, characterized and tested for their lethality. SA01_53 was found to only lyse its host strain of S. anginosus, while 23TH_48 was found to possess a broader lytic activity beyond its host strain of S. infantis, with several S. pneumoniae isolates sensitive to its lytic activity. 23TH_48 at a concentration of five activity units per mL (U/mL) was found to reduce cell counts of S. pneumoniae DSM 24048 by 4 log10 colony forming units per mL (CFU/mL) within 1 h and effectively prevented and destroyed biofilms of S. pneumoniae R6 at concentrations of 228.8 ng/µL and 14.3 ng/µL, respectively. Given its high lytic activity, 23TH_48 could prove to be a promising candidate to help combat pneumococcal infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Imme van der Kamp
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, T12 YT20 Cork, Ireland; (I.v.d.K.); (L.A.D.); (M.K.S.); (C.B.); (R.P.R.)
| | - Lorraine A. Draper
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, T12 YT20 Cork, Ireland; (I.v.d.K.); (L.A.D.); (M.K.S.); (C.B.); (R.P.R.)
| | - Muireann K. Smith
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, T12 YT20 Cork, Ireland; (I.v.d.K.); (L.A.D.); (M.K.S.); (C.B.); (R.P.R.)
| | - Colin Buttimer
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, T12 YT20 Cork, Ireland; (I.v.d.K.); (L.A.D.); (M.K.S.); (C.B.); (R.P.R.)
| | - R. Paul Ross
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, T12 YT20 Cork, Ireland; (I.v.d.K.); (L.A.D.); (M.K.S.); (C.B.); (R.P.R.)
| | - Colin Hill
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, T12 YT20 Cork, Ireland; (I.v.d.K.); (L.A.D.); (M.K.S.); (C.B.); (R.P.R.)
- School of Microbiology, University College Cork, T12 YN60 Cork, Ireland
- Correspondence:
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16
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de Miguel T, Rama JLR, Sieiro C, Sánchez S, Villa TG. Bacteriophages and Lysins as Possible Alternatives to Treat Antibiotic-Resistant Urinary Tract Infections. Antibiotics (Basel) 2020; 9:E466. [PMID: 32751681 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics9080466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Revised: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Urinary tract infections represent a major public health problem as the rapid emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains among uropathogens is causing the failure of many current treatments. The use of bacteriophages (phages) and their derivatives to combat infectious diseases is an old approach that has been forgotten by the West for a long time, mostly due to the discovery and great success of antibiotics. In the present so-called “post-antibiotic era”, many researchers are turning their attention to the re-discovered phage therapy, as an effective alternative to antibiotics. Phage therapy includes the use of natural or engineered phages, as well as their purified lytic enzymes to destroy pathogenic strains. Many in vitro and in vivo studies have been conducted, and these have proved the great potential for this therapy against uropathogenic bacteria. Nevertheless, to date, the lack of appropriate clinical trials has hindered its widespread clinic application.
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17
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Abstract
Antibiotics have had a profound impact on human society by enabling the eradication of otherwise deadly infections. Unfortunately, antibiotic use and overuse has led to the rapid spread of acquired antibiotic resistance, creating a major threat to public health. Novel therapeutic agents called bacteriophage endolysins (lysins) provide a solution to the worldwide epidemic of antibiotic resistance. Lysins are a class of enzymes produced by bacteriophages during the lytic cycle, which are capable of cleaving bonds in the bacterial cell wall, resulting in the death of the bacteria within seconds after contact. Through evolutionary selection of the phage progeny to be released and spread, these lysins target different critical components in the cell wall, making resistance to these molecules orders of magnitude less likely than conventional antibiotics. Such properties make lysins uniquely suitable for the treatment of multidrug resistant bacterial pathogens. Lysins, either naturally occurring or engineered, have the potential of being developed into fast-acting, narrow-spectrum, biofilm-disrupting antimicrobials that act synergistically with standard of care antibiotics. This review focuses on newly discovered classes of Gram-negative lysins with emphasis on prototypical enzymes that have been evaluated for efficacy against the major antibiotic resistant organisms causing nosocomial infections.
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18
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Abstract
Bacteriophage lysins and related bacteriolytic enzymes are now considered among the top antibiotic alternatives for solving the mounting resistance problem. Over the past 17 years, lysins have been widely developed against Gram-positive and recently Gram-negative pathogens, and successfully tested in a variety of animal models to demonstrate their efficacy. A lysin (CF-301) directed to methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has effectively completed phase 1 human clinical trials, showing safety in this novel therapeutic class. To validate efficacy, CF-301 is currently the first lysin to enter phase 2 human trials to treat hospitalized patients with MRSA bacteremia or endocarditis. If successful, it could be the defining moment leading to the acceptance of lysins as an alternative to small molecule antibiotics. This article is a detailed account of events leading to the first therapeutic use and ultimate development of phage-encoded lysins as novel anti-infectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent A Fischetti
- Laboratory of Bacterial Pathogenesis and Immunology, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA.
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19
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Casey E, van Sinderen D, Mahony J. In Vitro Characteristics of Phages to Guide 'Real Life' Phage Therapy Suitability. Viruses 2018; 10:v10040163. [PMID: 29601536 PMCID: PMC5923457 DOI: 10.3390/v10040163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2018] [Revised: 03/27/2018] [Accepted: 03/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The increasing problem of antibiotic-resistant pathogens has put enormous pressure on healthcare providers to reduce the application of antibiotics and to identify alternative therapies. Phages represent such an alternative with significant application potential, either on their own or in combination with antibiotics to enhance the effectiveness of traditional therapies. However, while phage therapy may offer exciting therapeutic opportunities, its evaluation for safe and appropriate use in humans needs to be guided initially by reliable and appropriate assessment techniques at the laboratory level. Here, we review the process of phage isolation and the application of individual pathogens or reference collections for the development of specific or "off-the-shelf" preparations. Furthermore, we evaluate current characterization approaches to assess the in vitro therapeutic potential of a phage including its spectrum of activity, genome characteristics, storage and administration requirements and effectiveness against biofilms. Lytic characteristics and the ability to overcome anti-phage systems are also covered. These attributes direct phage selection for their ultimate application as antimicrobial agents. We also discuss current pitfalls in this research area and propose that priority should be given to unify current phage characterization approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eoghan Casey
- School of Microbiology and APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, T12 YT20 Cork, Ireland.
| | - Douwe van Sinderen
- School of Microbiology and APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, T12 YT20 Cork, Ireland.
| | - Jennifer Mahony
- School of Microbiology and APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, T12 YT20 Cork, Ireland.
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20
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Rodríguez-Rubio L, Jofre J, Muniesa M. Is Genetic Mobilization Considered When Using Bacteriophages in Antimicrobial Therapy? Antibiotics (Basel) 2017; 6:antibiotics6040032. [PMID: 29206153 PMCID: PMC5745475 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics6040032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2017] [Revised: 11/15/2017] [Accepted: 12/04/2017] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The emergence of multi-drug resistant bacteria has undermined our capacity to control bacterial infectious diseases. Measures needed to tackle this problem include controlling the spread of antibiotic resistance, designing new antibiotics, and encouraging the use of alternative therapies. Phage therapy seems to be a feasible alternative to antibiotics, although there are still some concerns and legal issues to overcome before it can be implemented on a large scale. Here we highlight some of those concerns, especially those related to the ability of bacteriophages to transport bacterial DNA and, in particular, antibiotic resistance genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorena Rodríguez-Rubio
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics, Faculty of Biology, Av. Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Joan Jofre
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics, Faculty of Biology, Av. Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Maite Muniesa
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics, Faculty of Biology, Av. Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
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21
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen T Abedon
- Department of Microbiology, The Ohio State UniversityMansfield, OH, United States
| | - Pilar García
- Spanish National Research CouncilVillaviciosa, Spain
| | - Peter Mullany
- Department of Microbial Diseases, Eastman Dental Institute, University College LondonLondon, United Kingdom
| | - Rustam Aminov
- School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of AberdeenAberdeen, United Kingdom
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22
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen T. Abedon
- Department of Microbiology, The Ohio State UniversityMansfield, OH, United States
| | - Pilar García
- Spanish National Research CouncilVillaviciosa, Spain
| | - Peter Mullany
- Department of Microbial Diseases, Eastman Dental Institute, University College LondonLondon, United Kingdom
| | - Rustam Aminov
- School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of AberdeenAberdeen, United Kingdom
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23
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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] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [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.
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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
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24
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Abstract
The term biological warfare typically conjures images of medieval warriors tossing dead cattle over city walls or clandestine government agents secretly releasing mysterious microbes into enemy territory. Of course, biological warfare does encompass such activity, but the vast majority of what constitutes biological warfare is far more mundane. Ever since life evolved on earth about 3.8 billion years ago, organisms have constantly devised new ways to kill each other. Any organism that makes use of toxins—from bacteria to snakes—is engaging in a form of biological warfare. Humans who engage in biological warfare do so by taking advantage of these toxin-producing organisms.
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25
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Abstract
Bacteriophages were discovered almost a century ago. With the advent of antibiotics, the use of bacteriophages for treatment of infections fell out of favor in Western medicine. In light of the rise of antibiotic resistance, phages and their products (lysins) are rediscovered as antibacterial bioagents. This overview summarizes principles of phage biology and their translation for therapeutic and preventive applications. Examples are presented to highlight their therapeutic promise for prophylaxis and treatment of bacterial infections including multidrug-resistant organisms in humans and animals, and their use as decontaminants of food supplies and environments. Besides research on the in vivo behavior of phages and lysins, dialogues between researchers and regulatory agencies are necessary to publish guidelines for bacteriophage manufacturing and formulation for human use. Only well-designed, double-blind randomized controlled trials will determine if phages and lysins are safe and effective adjuncts or alternatives to antibiotic therapy for infections with multidrug-resistant organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bettina M Knoll
- Department of Medicine, Infectious Diseases Division, Rhode Island Hospital, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
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Korczynska JE, Danielsen S, Schagerlöf U, Turkenburg JP, Davies GJ, Wilson KS, Taylor EJ. The structure of a family GH25 lysozyme from Aspergillus fumigatus. Acta Crystallogr Sect F Struct Biol Cryst Commun 2010; 66:973-7. [PMID: 20823508 PMCID: PMC2935209 DOI: 10.1107/s1744309110025601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2010] [Accepted: 06/29/2010] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Lysins are important biomolecules which cleave the bacterial cell-wall polymer peptidoglycan. They are finding increasing commercial and medical application. In order to gain an insight into the mechanism by which these enzymes operate, the X-ray structure of a CAZy family GH25 ;lysozyme' from Aspergillus fumigatus was determined. This is the first fungal structure from the family and reveals a modified alpha/beta-barrel-like fold in which an eight-stranded beta-barrel is flanked by three alpha-helices. The active site lies toward the bottom of a negatively charged pocket and its layout has much in common with other solved members of the GH25 and related GH families. A conserved active-site DXE motif may be implicated in catalysis, lending further weight to the argument that this glycoside hydrolase family operates via a ;substrate-assisted' catalytic mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justyna E. Korczynska
- Structural Biology Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, The University of York, York YO10 5YW, England
| | | | | | - Johan P. Turkenburg
- Structural Biology Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, The University of York, York YO10 5YW, England
| | - Gideon J. Davies
- Structural Biology Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, The University of York, York YO10 5YW, England
| | - Keith S. Wilson
- Structural Biology Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, The University of York, York YO10 5YW, England
| | - Edward J. Taylor
- Structural Biology Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, The University of York, York YO10 5YW, England
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