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Casters Y, Bäcker LE, Broux K, Aertsen A. Phage transmission strategies: are phages farming their host? Curr Opin Microbiol 2024; 79:102481. [PMID: 38677076 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2024.102481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024]
Abstract
Extensive coevolution has led to utterly intricate interactions between phages and their bacterial hosts. While both the (short-term) intracellular molecular host-subversion mechanisms during a phage infection cycle and the (long-term) mutational arms race between phages and host cells have traditionally received a lot of attention, there has been an underestimating neglect of (mid-term) transmission strategies by which phages manage to cautiously spread throughout their host population. However, recent findings underscore that phages encode mechanisms to avoid host cell scarcity and promote coexistence with the host, giving the impression that some phages manage to 'farm' their host population to ensure access to host cells for lytic consumption. Given the tremendous impact of phages on bacterial ecology, charting and understanding the complexity of such transmission strategies is of key importance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yorben Casters
- Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 23 - bus 2457, 3001, Belgium
| | - Leonard E Bäcker
- Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 23 - bus 2457, 3001, Belgium
| | - Kevin Broux
- Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 23 - bus 2457, 3001, Belgium
| | - Abram Aertsen
- Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 23 - bus 2457, 3001, Belgium.
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2
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Wang WX, Wu JZ, Zhang BL, Yu JY, Han LM, Lu XL, Li H, Fu SY, Ren YY, Dong H, Xu Y, Wang GT, Gao JH, Wang C, Chen XZ, Liu DX, Huang Y, Yu JH, Wang SW, Yang YF, Chen W. Phage therapy combats pandrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii infection safely and efficiently. Int J Antimicrob Agents 2024:107220. [PMID: 38810939 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2024.107220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 04/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
Phage therapy offers a promising approach to combat the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance. Yet, key questions remain regarding dosage, administration routes, combination therapy, and the causes of therapeutic failure. In this study, we focused on a novel lytic phage, ФAb4B, which specifically targeted the A. baumannii strains with KL160 CPS, including the pan-drug resistant A. baumannii YQ4. ФAb4B exhibited the ability to effectively inhibit biofilm formation and eradicate mature biofilms independently of dosage. Additionally, it demonstrated a wide spectrum of antibiotic-phage synergy and did not show any cytotoxic or hemolytic effects. Continuous phage injections, both intraperitoneally and intravenously over 7 days, showed no acute toxicity in vivo. Importantly, phage therapy significantly improved neutrophil counts, outperforming ciprofloxacin (CIP). However, excessive phage injections suppressed neutrophil levels. The combinatorial treatment of phage-CIP rescued 91% of the mice, a superior outcome compared to phage alone (67%). The efficacy of the combinatorial treatment was independent of phage dosage. Notably, prophylactic administration of the combinatorial regimen provided no protection, but even when combined with a delayed therapeutic regimen, it saved all the mice. Bacterial resistance to the phage was not a contributing factor to treatment failure. Our preclinical study systematically describes the lytic phage's effectiveness in both in vitro and in vivo settings, filling in crucial details about phage treatment against bacteriemia caused by A. baumannii, which will provide a robust foundation for the future of phage therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei-Xiao Wang
- Clinical Research Center, the Second Hospital of Nanjing, Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210003, China
| | - Jia-Zhen Wu
- Clinical Research Center, the Second Hospital of Nanjing, Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210003, China; Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, China
| | - Bai-Ling Zhang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, China
| | - Jiao-Yang Yu
- Clinical Research Center, the Second Hospital of Nanjing, Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210003, China; Key Laboratory of Resources Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, China
| | - Li-Mei Han
- Clinical Research Center, the Second Hospital of Nanjing, Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210003, China
| | - Xiao-Liang Lu
- Key Laboratory of Resources Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, China
| | - Hui Li
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, China
| | - Shi-Yong Fu
- Clinical Research Center, the Second Hospital of Nanjing, Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210003, China
| | - Yun-Yao Ren
- Clinical Research Center, the Second Hospital of Nanjing, Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210003, China
| | - Hui Dong
- Clinical Research Center, the Second Hospital of Nanjing, Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210003, China
| | - Yi Xu
- Department of Geriatric Medicine, Jiangxi Provincial People's Hospital, No. 92, Aiguo Road, Donghu District, Nanchang, 330006, China
| | - Gong-Ting Wang
- Key Laboratory of Resources Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, China
| | - Jing-Han Gao
- Clinical Research Center, the Second Hospital of Nanjing, Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210003, China
| | - Chun Wang
- Clinical Research Center, the Second Hospital of Nanjing, Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210003, China
| | - Xiu-Zhen Chen
- Clinical Research Center, the Second Hospital of Nanjing, Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210003, China
| | - Du-Xian Liu
- Department of pathology, the Second Hospital of Nanjing, Affiliated Hospital to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210003, China
| | - Ying Huang
- Department of Infection Control and Management, the Second Hospital of Nanjing, Affiliated Hospital to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210003, China
| | - Jin-Hong Yu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, the Second Hospital of Nanjing, Affiliated Hospital to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210003, China
| | - Shi-Wei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Resources Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, China
| | - Yong-Feng Yang
- The Clinical Infectious Disease Center of Nanjing, Nanjing 210003, China.
| | - Wei Chen
- Clinical Research Center, the Second Hospital of Nanjing, Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210003, China.
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Nagy K, Valappil SK, Phan TV, Li S, Dér L, Morris R, Bos J, Winslow S, Galajda P, Ràkhely G, Austin RH. Microfluidic Ecology Unravels the Genetic and Ecological Drivers of T4r Bacteriophage Resistance in E. coli: Insights into Biofilm-Mediated Evolution. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-4356333. [PMID: 38826273 PMCID: PMC11142369 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4356333/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
We use a microfluidic ecology which generates non-uniform phage concentration gradients and micro-ecological niches to reveal the importance of time, spatial population structure and collective population dynamics in the de novo evolution of T4r bacteriophage resistant motile E. coli. An insensitive bacterial population against T4r phage occurs within 20 hours in small interconnected population niches created by a gradient of phage virions, driven by evolution in transient biofilm patches. Sequencing of the resistant bacteria reveals mutations at the receptor site of bacteriophage T4r as expected but also in genes associated with biofilm formation and surface adhesion, supporting the hypothesis that evolution within transient biofilms drives de novo phage resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krisztina Nagy
- Institute of Biophysics, HUN-REN Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary
| | | | - Trung V Phan
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Shengkai Li
- Department of Physics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - László Dér
- Institute of Biophysics, HUN-REN Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Ryan Morris
- School of Physics & Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland
| | - Julia Bos
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR 3525, Unité Plasticité du Génome Bactérien, Paris, France
| | | | - Peter Galajda
- Institute of Biophysics, HUN-REN Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Gábor Ràkhely
- Institute of Biophysics, HUN-REN Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Robert H Austin
- Department of Physics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
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4
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Nikolic N, Anagnostidis V, Tiwari A, Chait R, Gielen F. Droplet-based methodology for investigating bacterial population dynamics in response to phage exposure. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1260196. [PMID: 38075890 PMCID: PMC10703435 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1260196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
An alarming rise in antimicrobial resistance worldwide has spurred efforts into the search for alternatives to antibiotic treatments. The use of bacteriophages, bacterial viruses harmless to humans, represents a promising approach with potential to treat bacterial infections (phage therapy). Recent advances in microscopy-based single-cell techniques have allowed researchers to develop new quantitative methodologies for assessing the interactions between bacteria and phages, especially the ability of phages to eradicate bacterial pathogen populations and to modulate growth of both commensal and pathogen populations. Here we combine droplet microfluidics with fluorescence time-lapse microscopy to characterize the growth and lysis dynamics of the bacterium Escherichia coli confined in droplets when challenged with phage. We investigated phages that promote lysis of infected E. coli cells, specifically, a phage species with DNA genome, T7 (Escherichia virus T7) and two phage species with RNA genomes, MS2 (Emesvirus zinderi) and Qβ (Qubevirus durum). Our microfluidic trapping device generated and immobilized picoliter-sized droplets, enabling stable imaging of bacterial growth and lysis in a temperature-controlled setup. Temporal information on bacterial population size was recorded for up to 25 h, allowing us to determine growth rates of bacterial populations and helping us uncover the extent and speed of phage infection. In the long-term, the development of novel microfluidic single-cell and population-level approaches will expedite research towards fundamental understanding of the genetic and molecular basis of rapid phage-induced lysis and eco-evolutionary aspects of bacteria-phage dynamics, and ultimately help identify key factors influencing the success of phage therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nela Nikolic
- Living Systems Institute, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
- Translational Research Exchange @ Exeter, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Vasileios Anagnostidis
- Living Systems Institute, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Anuj Tiwari
- Living Systems Institute, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Remy Chait
- Living Systems Institute, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
- Department of Biosciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Fabrice Gielen
- Living Systems Institute, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
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5
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Majewska J, Miernikiewicz P, Szymczak A, Kaźmierczak Z, Goszczyński TM, Owczarek B, Rybicka I, Ciekot J, Dąbrowska K. Evolution of the T4 phage virion is driven by selection pressure from non-bacterial factors. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0011523. [PMID: 37724862 PMCID: PMC10580926 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00115-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophages colonize animal and human bodies, propagating on sensitive bacteria that are symbionts, commensals, or pathogens of animals and humans. T4-like phages are dependent on abundant symbionts such as Escherichia coli, commonly present in animal and human gastrointestinal (GI) tracts. Bacteriophage T4 is one of the most complex viruses, and its intricate structure, particularly the capsid head protecting the phage genome, likely contributes substantially to the overall phage fitness in diverse environments. We investigated how individual head proteins-gp24, Hoc, and Soc-affect T4 phage survival under pressure from non-bacterial factors. We constructed a panel of T4 phage variants defective in these structural proteins: T4∆Soc, T4∆24byp24, T4∆Hoc∆Soc, T4∆Hoc∆24byp24, T4∆Soc∆24byp24, and T4∆Hoc∆Soc∆24byp24 (byp = bypass). These variants were investigated for their sensitivity to selected environmental conditions relevant to the microenvironment of the GI tract, including pH, temperature, and digestive enzymes. The simple and "primitive" structure of the phage capsid (∆24byp24) was significantly less stable at low pH and more sensitive to inactivation by digestive enzymes, and the simultaneous lack of gp24 and Soc resulted in a notable decrease in phage activity at 37°C. Gp24 was also found to be highly resistant to thermal and chemical denaturation. Thus, gp24, which was acquired relatively late in evolution, seems to play a key role in T4 withstanding environmental conditions, including those related to the animal/human GI tract, and Soc is a molecular glue that enhances this protective effect. IMPORTANCE Bacteriophages are important components of animal and human microbiota, particularly in the gastrointestinal tract, where they dominate the viral community and contribute to shaping microbial balance. However, interactions with bacterial hosts are not the only element of the equation in phage survival-phages inhabiting the GI tract are constantly exposed to increased temperature, pH fluctuations, or digestive enzymes, which raises the question of whether and how the complex structure of phage capsids contributes to their persistence in the specific microenvironment of human/animal bodies. Here we address this phage-centric perspective, identifying the role of individual head proteins in T4 phage survival in GI tract conditions. The selection pressure driving the evolution of T4-like phages could have come from the external environment that affects phage virions with increased temperature and variable pH; it is possible that in the local microenvironment along the GI tract, the phage benefits from stability-protecting proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Majewska
- Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Paulina Miernikiewicz
- Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Aleksander Szymczak
- Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Zuzanna Kaźmierczak
- Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wrocław, Poland
- Research and Development Center, Regional Specialist Hospital in Wrocław, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Tomasz M. Goszczyński
- Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Barbara Owczarek
- Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Izabela Rybicka
- Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Jarosław Ciekot
- Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Krystyna Dąbrowska
- Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wrocław, Poland
- Research and Development Center, Regional Specialist Hospital in Wrocław, Wrocław, Poland
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6
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Attrill EL, Łapińska U, Westra ER, Harding SV, Pagliara S. Slow growing bacteria survive bacteriophage in isolation. ISME COMMUNICATIONS 2023; 3:95. [PMID: 37684358 PMCID: PMC10491631 DOI: 10.1038/s43705-023-00299-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
The interactions between bacteria and bacteriophage have important roles in the global ecosystem; in turn changes in environmental parameters affect the interactions between bacteria and phage. However, there is a lack of knowledge on whether clonal bacterial populations harbour different phenotypes that respond to phage in distinct ways and whether the abundance of such phenotypes within bacterial populations is affected by variations in environmental parameters. Here we study the impact of variations in nutrient availability, bacterial growth rate and phage abundance on the interactions between the phage T4 and individual Escherichia coli cells confined in spatial refuges. Surprisingly, we found that fast growing bacteria survive together with all of their clonal kin cells, whereas slow growing bacteria survive in isolation. We also discovered that the number of bacteria that survive in isolation decreases at increasing phage doses possibly due to lysis inhibition in the presence of secondary adsorptions. We further show that these changes in the phenotypic composition of the E. coli population have important consequences on the bacterial and phage population dynamics and should therefore be considered when investigating bacteria-phage interactions in ecological, health or food production settings in structured environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin L Attrill
- Living Systems Institute and Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Urszula Łapińska
- Living Systems Institute and Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Edze R Westra
- Environment and Sustainability Institute and Biosciences, University of Exeter, Penryn, UK
| | - Sarah V Harding
- Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Porton Down, Salisbury, UK
- Department of Respiratory Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Stefano Pagliara
- Living Systems Institute and Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK.
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Mayo-Muñoz D, Pinilla-Redondo R, Birkholz N, Fineran PC. A host of armor: Prokaryotic immune strategies against mobile genetic elements. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112672. [PMID: 37347666 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Prokaryotic adaptation is strongly influenced by the horizontal acquisition of beneficial traits via mobile genetic elements (MGEs), such as viruses/bacteriophages and plasmids. However, MGEs can also impose a fitness cost due to their often parasitic nature and differing evolutionary trajectories. In response, prokaryotes have evolved diverse immune mechanisms against MGEs. Recently, our understanding of the abundance and diversity of prokaryotic immune systems has greatly expanded. These defense systems can degrade the invading genetic material, inhibit genome replication, or trigger abortive infection, leading to population protection. In this review, we highlight these strategies, focusing on the most recent discoveries. The study of prokaryotic defenses not only sheds light on microbial evolution but also uncovers novel enzymatic activities with promising biotechnological applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Mayo-Muñoz
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand; Genetics Otago, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand; Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand
| | - Rafael Pinilla-Redondo
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand; Section of Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Nils Birkholz
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand; Genetics Otago, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand; Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand; Bioprotection Aotearoa, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand
| | - Peter C Fineran
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand; Genetics Otago, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand; Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand; Bioprotection Aotearoa, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand.
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Unveil the Secret of the Bacteria and Phage Arms Race. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24054363. [PMID: 36901793 PMCID: PMC10002423 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24054363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteria have developed different mechanisms to defend against phages, such as preventing phages from being adsorbed on the surface of host bacteria; through the superinfection exclusion (Sie) block of phage's nucleic acid injection; by restricting modification (R-M) systems, CRISPR-Cas, aborting infection (Abi) and other defense systems to interfere with the replication of phage genes in the host; through the quorum sensing (QS) enhancement of phage's resistant effect. At the same time, phages have also evolved a variety of counter-defense strategies, such as degrading extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) that mask receptors or recognize new receptors, thereby regaining the ability to adsorb host cells; modifying its own genes to prevent the R-M systems from recognizing phage genes or evolving proteins that can inhibit the R-M complex; through the gene mutation itself, building nucleus-like compartments or evolving anti-CRISPR (Acr) proteins to resist CRISPR-Cas systems; and by producing antirepressors or blocking the combination of autoinducers (AIs) and its receptors to suppress the QS. The arms race between bacteria and phages is conducive to the coevolution between bacteria and phages. This review details bacterial anti-phage strategies and anti-defense strategies of phages and will provide basic theoretical support for phage therapy while deeply understanding the interaction mechanism between bacteria and phages.
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9
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Zhang Y, Kepiro I, Ryadnov MG, Pagliara S. Single Cell Killing Kinetics Differentiate Phenotypic Bacterial Responses to Different Antibacterial Classes. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0366722. [PMID: 36651776 PMCID: PMC9927147 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03667-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
With the spread of multidrug-resistant bacteria, there has been an increasing focus on molecular classes that have not yet yielded an antibiotic. A key capability for assessing and prescribing new antibacterial treatments is to compare the effects antibacterial agents have on bacterial growth at a phenotypic, single-cell level. Here, we combined time-lapse microscopy with microfluidics to investigate the concentration-dependent killing kinetics of stationary-phase Escherichia coli cells. We used antibacterial agents from three different molecular classes, β-lactams and fluoroquinolones, with the known antibiotics ampicillin and ciprofloxacin, respectively, and a new experimental class, protein Ψ-capsids. We found that bacterial cells elongated when treated with ampicillin and ciprofloxacin used at their minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). This was in contrast to Ψ-capsids, which arrested bacterial elongation within the first two hours of treatment. At concentrations exceeding the MIC, all the antibacterial agents tested arrested bacterial growth within the first 2 h of treatment. Further, our single-cell experiments revealed differences in the modes of action of three different agents. At the MIC, ampicillin and ciprofloxacin caused the lysis of bacterial cells, whereas at higher concentrations, the mode of action shifted toward membrane disruption. The Ψ-capsids killed cells by disrupting their membranes at all concentrations tested. Finally, at increasing concentrations, ampicillin and Ψ-capsids reduced the fraction of the population that survived treatment in a viable but nonculturable state, whereas ciprofloxacin increased this fraction. This study introduces an effective capability to differentiate the killing kinetics of antibacterial agents from different molecular classes and offers a high content analysis of antibacterial mechanisms at the single-cell level. IMPORTANCE Antibiotics act against bacterial pathogens by inhibiting their growth or killing them directly. Different modes of action determine different antibacterial responses, whereas phenotypic differences in bacteria can challenge the efficacy of antibiotics. Therefore, it is important to be able to differentiate the concentration-dependent killing kinetics of antibacterial agents at a single-cell level, in particular for molecular classes which have not yielded an antibiotic before. Here, we measured single-cell responses using microfluidics-enabled imaging, revealing that a novel class of antibacterial agents, protein Ψ-capsids, arrests bacterial elongation at the onset of treatment, whereas elongation continues for cells treated with β-lactam and fluoroquinolone antibiotics. The study advances our current understanding of antibacterial function and offers an effective strategy for the comparative design of new antibacterial therapies, as well as clinical antibiotic susceptibility testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuewen Zhang
- Living Systems Institute and Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
- National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, United Kingdom
| | - Ibolya Kepiro
- National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, United Kingdom
| | - Maxim G. Ryadnov
- National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, United Kingdom
- Department of Physics, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Stefano Pagliara
- Living Systems Institute and Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
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10
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Abedon ST. Ecology and Evolutionary Biology of Hindering Phage Therapy: The Phage Tolerance vs. Phage Resistance of Bacterial Biofilms. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:245. [PMID: 36830158 PMCID: PMC9952518 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12020245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
As with antibiotics, we can differentiate various acquired mechanisms of bacteria-mediated inhibition of the action of bacterial viruses (phages or bacteriophages) into ones of tolerance vs. resistance. These also, respectively, may be distinguished as physiological insensitivities (or protections) vs. resistance mutations, phenotypic resistance vs. genotypic resistance, temporary vs. more permanent mechanisms, and ecologically vs. also near-term evolutionarily motivated functions. These phenomena can result from multiple distinct molecular mechanisms, many of which for bacterial tolerance of phages are associated with bacterial biofilms (as is also the case for the bacterial tolerance of antibiotics). The resulting inhibitions are relevant from an applied perspective because of their potential to thwart phage-based treatments of bacterial infections, i.e., phage therapies, as well as their potential to interfere more generally with approaches to the phage-based biological control of bacterial biofilms. In other words, given the generally low toxicity of properly chosen therapeutic phages, it is a combination of phage tolerance and phage resistance, as displayed by targeted bacteria, that seems to represent the greatest impediments to phage therapy's success. Here I explore general concepts of bacterial tolerance of vs. bacterial resistance to phages, particularly as they may be considered in association with bacterial biofilms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen T Abedon
- Department of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, Mansfield, OH 44906, USA
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11
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Winans JB, Wucher BR, Nadell CD. Multispecies biofilm architecture determines bacterial exposure to phages. PLoS Biol 2022; 20:e3001913. [PMID: 36548227 PMCID: PMC9778933 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Numerous ecological interactions among microbes-for example, competition for space and resources, or interaction among phages and their bacterial hosts-are likely to occur simultaneously in multispecies biofilm communities. While biofilms formed by just a single species occur, multispecies biofilms are thought to be more typical of microbial communities in the natural environment. Previous work has shown that multispecies biofilms can increase, decrease, or have no measurable impact on phage exposure of a host bacterium living alongside another species that the phages cannot target. The reasons underlying this variability are not well understood, and how phage-host encounters change within multispecies biofilms remains mostly unexplored at the cellular spatial scale. Here, we study how the cellular scale architecture of model 2-species biofilms impacts cell-cell and cell-phage interactions controlling larger scale population and community dynamics. Our system consists of dual culture biofilms of Escherichia coli and Vibrio cholerae under exposure to T7 phages, which we study using microfluidic culture, high-resolution confocal microscopy imaging, and detailed image analysis. As shown previously, sufficiently mature biofilms of E. coli can protect themselves from phage exposure via their curli matrix. Before this stage of biofilm structural maturity, E. coli is highly susceptible to phages; however, we show that these bacteria can gain lasting protection against phage exposure if they have become embedded in the bottom layers of highly packed groups of V. cholerae in co-culture. This protection, in turn, is dependent on the cell packing architecture controlled by V. cholerae biofilm matrix secretion. In this manner, E. coli cells that are otherwise susceptible to phage-mediated killing can survive phage exposure in the absence of de novo resistance evolution. While co-culture biofilm formation with V. cholerae can confer phage protection to E. coli, it comes at the cost of competing with V. cholerae and a disruption of normal curli-mediated protection for E. coli even in dual species biofilms grown over long time scales. This work highlights the critical importance of studying multispecies biofilm architecture and its influence on the community dynamics of bacteria and phages.
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Affiliation(s)
- James B. Winans
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, United States of America
| | - Benjamin R. Wucher
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, United States of America
| | - Carey D. Nadell
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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12
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In vitro and in vivo therapeutical efficiency of the staphylococcus phages and the effect of phage infectivity in well-mixed and spatial environment. Biologia (Bratisl) 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11756-022-01236-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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13
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Postek W, Pacocha N, Garstecki P. Microfluidics for antibiotic susceptibility testing. LAB ON A CHIP 2022; 22:3637-3662. [PMID: 36069631 DOI: 10.1039/d2lc00394e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The rise of antibiotic resistance is a threat to global health. Rapid and comprehensive analysis of infectious strains is critical to reducing the global use of antibiotics, as informed antibiotic use could slow down the emergence of resistant strains worldwide. Multiple platforms for antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST) have been developed with the use of microfluidic solutions. Here we describe microfluidic systems that have been proposed to aid AST. We identify the key contributions in overcoming outstanding challenges associated with the required degree of multiplexing, reduction of detection time, scalability, ease of use, and capacity for commercialization. We introduce the reader to microfluidics in general, and we analyze the challenges and opportunities related to the field of microfluidic AST.
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Affiliation(s)
- Witold Postek
- Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences, ul. Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warszawa, Poland.
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Merkin Building, 415 Main St, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.
| | - Natalia Pacocha
- Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences, ul. Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warszawa, Poland.
| | - Piotr Garstecki
- Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences, ul. Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warszawa, Poland.
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14
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Igler C. Phenotypic flux: The role of physiology in explaining the conundrum of bacterial persistence amid phage attack. Virus Evol 2022; 8:veac086. [PMID: 36225237 PMCID: PMC9547521 DOI: 10.1093/ve/veac086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophages, the viruses of bacteria, have been studied for over a century. They were not only instrumental in laying the foundations of molecular biology, but they are also likely to play crucial roles in shaping our biosphere and may offer a solution to the control of drug-resistant bacterial infections. However, it remains challenging to predict the conditions for bacterial eradication by phage predation, sometimes even under well-defined laboratory conditions, and, most curiously, if the majority of surviving cells are genetically phage-susceptible. Here, I propose that even clonal phage and bacterial populations are generally in a state of continuous 'phenotypic flux', which is caused by transient and nongenetic variation in phage and bacterial physiology. Phenotypic flux can shape phage infection dynamics by reducing the force of infection to an extent that allows for coexistence between phages and susceptible bacteria. Understanding the mechanisms and impact of phenotypic flux may be key to providing a complete picture of phage-bacteria coexistence. I review the empirical evidence for phenotypic variation in phage and bacterial physiology together with the ways they have been modeled and discuss the potential implications of phenotypic flux for ecological and evolutionary dynamics between phages and bacteria, as well as for phage therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Igler
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, Institute of Integrative Biology, Universitätstrasse 16, Zurich 8092, Switzerland
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15
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Łapińska U, Voliotis M, Lee KK, Campey A, Stone MRL, Tuck B, Phetsang W, Zhang B, Tsaneva-Atanasova K, Blaskovich MAT, Pagliara S. Fast bacterial growth reduces antibiotic accumulation and efficacy. eLife 2022; 11:74062. [PMID: 35670099 PMCID: PMC9173744 DOI: 10.7554/elife.74062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Phenotypic variations between individual microbial cells play a key role in the resistance of microbial pathogens to pharmacotherapies. Nevertheless, little is known about cell individuality in antibiotic accumulation. Here, we hypothesise that phenotypic diversification can be driven by fundamental cell-to-cell differences in drug transport rates. To test this hypothesis, we employed microfluidics-based single-cell microscopy, libraries of fluorescent antibiotic probes and mathematical modelling. This approach allowed us to rapidly identify phenotypic variants that avoid antibiotic accumulation within populations of Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Burkholderia cenocepacia, and Staphylococcus aureus. Crucially, we found that fast growing phenotypic variants avoid macrolide accumulation and survive treatment without genetic mutations. These findings are in contrast with the current consensus that cellular dormancy and slow metabolism underlie bacterial survival to antibiotics. Our results also show that fast growing variants display significantly higher expression of ribosomal promoters before drug treatment compared to slow growing variants. Drug-free active ribosomes facilitate essential cellular processes in these fast-growing variants, including efflux that can reduce macrolide accumulation. We used this new knowledge to eradicate variants that displayed low antibiotic accumulation through the chemical manipulation of their outer membrane inspiring new avenues to overcome current antibiotic treatment failures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Urszula Łapińska
- Living Systems Institute, University of ExeterExeterUnited Kingdom
- Biosciences, University of ExeterExeterUnited Kingdom
| | - Margaritis Voliotis
- Living Systems Institute, University of ExeterExeterUnited Kingdom
- Department of Mathematics, University of ExeterExeterUnited Kingdom
| | - Ka Kiu Lee
- Living Systems Institute, University of ExeterExeterUnited Kingdom
- Biosciences, University of ExeterExeterUnited Kingdom
| | - Adrian Campey
- Living Systems Institute, University of ExeterExeterUnited Kingdom
- Biosciences, University of ExeterExeterUnited Kingdom
| | - M Rhia L Stone
- Centre for Superbug Solutions, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of QueenslandBrisbaneAustralia
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers, the State University of New JerseyPiscatawayUnited States
| | - Brandon Tuck
- Living Systems Institute, University of ExeterExeterUnited Kingdom
- Biosciences, University of ExeterExeterUnited Kingdom
| | - Wanida Phetsang
- Centre for Superbug Solutions, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of QueenslandBrisbaneAustralia
| | - Bing Zhang
- Centre for Superbug Solutions, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of QueenslandBrisbaneAustralia
| | - Krasimira Tsaneva-Atanasova
- Living Systems Institute, University of ExeterExeterUnited Kingdom
- Department of Mathematics, University of ExeterExeterUnited Kingdom
- EPSRC Hub for Quantitative Modelling in Healthcare, University of ExeterExeterUnited Kingdom
- Department of Bioinformatics and Mathematical Modelling, Institute of Biophysics and Biomedical Engineering, Bulgarian Academy of SciencesSofiaBulgaria
| | - Mark AT Blaskovich
- Centre for Superbug Solutions, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of QueenslandBrisbaneAustralia
| | - Stefano Pagliara
- Living Systems Institute, University of ExeterExeterUnited Kingdom
- Biosciences, University of ExeterExeterUnited Kingdom
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16
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Abedon ST. Further Considerations on How to Improve Phage Therapy Experimentation, Practice, and Reporting: Pharmacodynamics Perspectives. PHAGE (NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y.) 2022; 3:98-111. [PMID: 36148139 PMCID: PMC9436263 DOI: 10.1089/phage.2022.0019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Phage therapy uses bacterial viruses (bacteriophages) to infect and kill targeted pathogens. Approximately one decade ago, I started publishing on how possibly to improve upon phage therapy experimentation, practice, and reporting. Here, I gather and expand upon some of those suggestions. The issues emphasized are (1) that using ratios of antibacterial agents to bacteria is not how dosing is accomplished in the real world, (2) that it can be helpful to not ignore Poisson distributions as a means of either anticipating or characterizing phage therapy success, and (3) how to calculate a concept of 'inundative phage densities.' Together, these are issues of phage therapy pharmacodynamics, meaning they are ways of thinking about the potential for phage therapy treatments to be efficacious mostly independent of the details of delivery of phages to targeted bacteria. Much emphasis is placed on working with Poisson distributions to better align phage therapy with other antimicrobial treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen T. Abedon
- Department of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, Mansfield, Ohio, USA
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17
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Venturini C, Petrovic Fabijan A, Fajardo Lubian A, Barbirz S, Iredell J. Biological foundations of successful bacteriophage therapy. EMBO Mol Med 2022; 14:e12435. [PMID: 35620963 PMCID: PMC9260219 DOI: 10.15252/emmm.202012435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2022] [Revised: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophages (phages) are selective viral predators of bacteria. Abundant and ubiquitous in nature, phages can be used to treat bacterial infections (phage therapy), including refractory infections and those resistant to antibiotics. However, despite an abundance of anecdotal evidence of efficacy, significant hurdles remain before routine implementation of phage therapy into medical practice, including a dearth of robust clinical trial data. Phage-bacterium interactions are complex and diverse, characterized by co-evolution trajectories that are significantly influenced by the environments in which they occur (mammalian body sites, water, soil, etc.). An understanding of the molecular mechanisms underpinning these dynamics is essential for successful clinical translation. This review aims to cover key aspects of bacterium-phage interactions that affect bacterial killing by describing the most relevant published literature and detailing the current knowledge gaps most likely to influence therapeutic success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carola Venturini
- Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, NSW, Australia.,Faculty of Science, Sydney School of Veterinary Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Aleksandra Petrovic Fabijan
- Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, NSW, Australia.,Faculty of Health and Medicine, School of Medicine, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Alicia Fajardo Lubian
- Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, NSW, Australia.,Faculty of Health and Medicine, School of Medicine, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Stefanie Barbirz
- Department of Medicine, Science Faculty, MSB Medical School Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jonathan Iredell
- Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, NSW, Australia.,Faculty of Health and Medicine, School of Medicine, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Westmead Hospital, Western Sydney Local Health District, Westmead, NSW, Australia
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18
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Koskella B, Hernandez CA, Wheatley RM. Understanding the Impacts of Bacteriophage Viruses: From Laboratory Evolution to Natural Ecosystems. Annu Rev Virol 2022; 9:57-78. [PMID: 35584889 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-virology-091919-075914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Viruses of bacteriophages (phages) have broad effects on bacterial ecology and evolution in nature that mediate microbial interactions, shape bacterial diversity, and influence nutrient cycling and ecosystem function. The unrelenting impact of phages within the microbial realm is the result, in large part, of their ability to rapidly evolve in response to bacterial host dynamics. The knowledge gained from laboratory systems, typically using pairwise interactions between single-host and single-phage systems, has made clear that phages coevolve with their bacterial hosts rapidly, somewhat predictably, and primarily by counteradapting to host resistance. Recent advancement in metagenomics approaches, as well as a shifting focus toward natural microbial communities and host-associated microbiomes, is beginning to uncover the full picture of phage evolution and ecology within more complex settings. As these data reach their full potential, it will be critical to ask when and how insights gained from studies of phage evolution in vitro can be meaningfully applied to understanding bacteria-phage interactions in nature. In this review, we explore the myriad ways that phages shape and are themselves shaped by bacterial host populations and communities, with a particular focus on observed and predicted differences between the laboratory and complex microbial communities. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Virology, Volume 9 is September 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Britt Koskella
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA;
| | - Catherine A Hernandez
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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19
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Glover G, Voliotis M, Łapińska U, Invergo BM, Soanes D, O'Neill P, Moore K, Nikolic N, Petrov PG, Milner DS, Roy S, Heesom K, Richards TA, Tsaneva-Atanasova K, Pagliara S. Nutrient and salt depletion synergistically boosts glucose metabolism in individual Escherichia coli cells. Commun Biol 2022; 5:385. [PMID: 35444215 PMCID: PMC9021252 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03336-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The interaction between a cell and its environment shapes fundamental intracellular processes such as cellular metabolism. In most cases growth rate is treated as a proximal metric for understanding the cellular metabolic status. However, changes in growth rate might not reflect metabolic variations in individuals responding to environmental fluctuations. Here we use single-cell microfluidics-microscopy combined with transcriptomics, proteomics and mathematical modelling to quantify the accumulation of glucose within Escherichia coli cells. In contrast to the current consensus, we reveal that environmental conditions which are comparatively unfavourable for growth, where both nutrients and salinity are depleted, increase glucose accumulation rates in individual bacteria and population subsets. We find that these changes in metabolic function are underpinned by variations at the translational and posttranslational level but not at the transcriptional level and are not dictated by changes in cell size. The metabolic response-characteristics identified greatly advance our fundamental understanding of the interactions between bacteria and their environment and have important ramifications when investigating cellular processes where salinity plays an important role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgina Glover
- Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter, EX4 4QD, UK
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter, EX4 4QL, UK
| | - Margaritis Voliotis
- Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter, EX4 4QD, UK
- Department of Mathematics, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter, UK
| | - Urszula Łapińska
- Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter, EX4 4QD, UK
- Biosciences, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter, EX4 4Q, UK
| | - Brandon M Invergo
- Translational Research Exchange at Exeter, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Darren Soanes
- Biosciences, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter, EX4 4Q, UK
| | - Paul O'Neill
- Biosciences, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter, EX4 4Q, UK
| | - Karen Moore
- Biosciences, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter, EX4 4Q, UK
| | - Nela Nikolic
- Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter, EX4 4QD, UK
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria, 3400, Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Peter G Petrov
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter, EX4 4QL, UK
| | - David S Milner
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3SZ, UK
| | - Sumita Roy
- Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter, EX4 4QD, UK
- Biosciences, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter, EX4 4Q, UK
| | - Kate Heesom
- University of Bristol Proteomics Facility, University Walk, Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK
| | - Thomas A Richards
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3SZ, UK
| | - Krasimira Tsaneva-Atanasova
- Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter, EX4 4QD, UK
- Department of Mathematics, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter, UK
- Department of Bioinformatics and Mathematical Modelling, Institute of Biophysics and Biomedical Engineering, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 105 Acad. G. Bonchev Str., 1113, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Stefano Pagliara
- Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter, EX4 4QD, UK.
- Biosciences, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter, EX4 4Q, UK.
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20
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Vázquez R, Díez-Martínez R, Domingo-Calap P, García P, Gutiérrez D, Muniesa M, Ruiz-Ruigómez M, Sanjuán R, Tomás M, Tormo-Mas MÁ, García P. Essential Topics for the Regulatory Consideration of Phages as Clinically Valuable Therapeutic Agents: A Perspective from Spain. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10040717. [PMID: 35456768 PMCID: PMC9025261 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10040717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Revised: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance is one of the major challenges that humankind shall face in the short term. (Bacterio)phage therapy is a valuable therapeutic alternative to antibiotics and, although the concept is almost as old as the discovery of phages, its wide application was hindered in the West by the discovery and development of antibiotics in the mid-twentieth century. However, research on phage therapy is currently experiencing a renaissance due to the antimicrobial resistance problem. Some countries are already adopting new ad hoc regulations to favor the short-term implantation of phage therapy in clinical practice. In this regard, the Phage Therapy Work Group from FAGOMA (Spanish Network of Bacteriophages and Transducing Elements) recently contacted the Spanish Drugs and Medical Devices Agency (AEMPS) to promote the regulation of phage therapy in Spain. As a result, FAGOMA was asked to provide a general view on key issues regarding phage therapy legislation. This review comes as the culmination of the FAGOMA initiative and aims at appropriately informing the regulatory debate on phage therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Vázquez
- Department of Biotechnology, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium;
| | | | - Pilar Domingo-Calap
- Institute for Integrative Systems Biology, University of Valencia-CSIC, 46980 Paterna, Spain; (P.D.-C.); (R.S.)
| | - Pedro García
- Center for Biological Research Margarita Salas (CIB-CSIC) and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), 28040 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Diana Gutiérrez
- Telum Therapeutics SL, 31110 Noáin, Spain; (R.D.-M.); (D.G.)
| | - Maite Muniesa
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - María Ruiz-Ruigómez
- Internal Medicine, Infectious Diseases Unit, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, 28041 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Rafael Sanjuán
- Institute for Integrative Systems Biology, University of Valencia-CSIC, 46980 Paterna, Spain; (P.D.-C.); (R.S.)
| | - María Tomás
- Department of Microbiology, Hospital Universitario de A Coruña (INIBIC-CHUAC, SERGAS), 15006 A Coruña, Spain;
- Study Group on Mechanisms of Action and Resistance to Antimicrobials (GEMARA) on behalf of the Spanish Society of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology (SEIMC), 28003 Madrid, Spain
- Spanish Network for Research in Infectious Diseases (REIPI), 41071 Sevilla, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - María Ángeles Tormo-Mas
- Severe Infection Group, Hospital Universitari i Politècnic La Fe, Health Research Institute Hospital La Fe, IISLaFe, 46026 Valencia, Spain;
| | - Pilar García
- Dairy Research Institute of Asturias, IPLA-CSIC, 33300 Villaviciosa, Spain
- DairySafe Group, Health Research Institute of Asturias (ISPA), 33011 Oviedo, Spain
- Correspondence:
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21
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An ultrasensitive microfluidic approach reveals correlations between the physico-chemical and biological activity of experimental peptide antibiotics. Sci Rep 2022; 12:4005. [PMID: 35256720 PMCID: PMC8901753 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-07973-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance challenges the ability of modern medicine to contain infections. Given the dire need for new antimicrobials, polypeptide antibiotics hold particular promise. These agents hit multiple targets in bacteria starting with their most exposed regions-their membranes. However, suitable approaches to quantify the efficacy of polypeptide antibiotics at the membrane and cellular level have been lacking. Here, we employ two complementary microfluidic platforms to probe the structure-activity relationships of two experimental series of polypeptide antibiotics. We reveal strong correlations between each peptide's physicochemical activity at the membrane level and biological activity at the cellular level. We achieve this knowledge by assaying the membranolytic activities of the compounds on hundreds of individual giant lipid vesicles, and by quantifying phenotypic responses within clonal bacterial populations with single-cell resolution. Our strategy proved capable of detecting differential responses for peptides with single amino acid substitutions between them, and can accelerate the rational design and development of peptide antimicrobials.
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