大肠杆菌O157:H7噬菌体鸡尾酒喷雾干燥微囊粉剂的制备及其应用

【目的】提高噬菌体在常温环境下的保存稳定性,解决噬菌体鸡尾酒在体内失活的问题,为噬菌体对肠道疾病的治疗提供参考依据。【方法】本研究采用喷雾干燥技术制备噬菌体鸡尾酒微球粉末,通过单因素试验和正交试验确定最佳制备条件,并对其特性进行研究,比较其与游离噬菌体在常温环境和体内环境的稳定性差异,并通过口服给药的方式对大肠杆菌(Escherichiacoli)O157:H7导致的肠道疾病进行治疗。【结果】本研究以海藻糖和亮氨酸组合为保护剂制备了一种具有热稳定性的噬菌体鸡尾酒微球粉末,试验结果显示,海藻糖和亮氨酸质量比为9:1时,设置进料速度为7.5 mL/min、海藻糖浓度为2%、入口温度为130℃、噬菌体鸡尾酒悬液与保护剂溶液体积比为1:50,噬菌体滴度损失最小,仅下降(0.623±0.235) log10 PFU/g。其在常温条件下保存6个月,噬菌体鸡尾酒滴度损失(0.862±0.082) log10 PFU/g,较游离噬菌体具有更长的保存稳定性,且其于体内环境的稳定性和治疗效果均优于游离噬菌体鸡尾酒。【结论】采用喷雾干燥法配合合适的保护剂配方可制得具有生物活性和热稳定性的噬菌体鸡尾酒微球粉末...     

噬菌体鸡尾酒对猕猴桃溃疡病的田间防治效果及叶际细菌群落结构的影响

【背景】噬菌体鸡尾酒可作为一种杀灭猕猴桃溃疡病病原菌(Pseudomonassyringaepv.actinidiae, Psa)的生物制剂,但关于噬菌体鸡尾酒在田间的防治效果和对猕猴桃植株叶际内生细菌群落结构影响的研究依然较少。【目的】探究噬菌体鸡尾酒在田间防控猕猴桃溃疡病的效果,以及噬菌体鸡尾酒对猕猴桃茎内叶际细菌微生态的影响。【方法】使用猕猴桃溃疡病病原菌感染健康植株,对比施用噬菌体鸡尾酒和传统铜制剂后溃疡病的发病情况,利用高通量测序技术分析猕猴桃叶际内生细菌群落结构的变化。【结果】与铜制剂相比,噬菌体鸡尾酒可更有效地控制猕猴桃溃疡病,改变叶际细菌群落的丰富度与多样性,增强群落结构的稳定性,改善群落物种功能基因丰度情况,一定程度使叶际细菌群落恢复至健康状态。【结论】噬菌体鸡尾酒在杀灭病原菌的同时具有良好的微生态调节功能,在猕猴桃溃疡病的生物防治中具有巨大的应用潜力。     

肠出血性大肠埃希菌O157:H7噬菌体FEC14和FEC19特性及污染牛肉杀菌潜在应用探究

【背景】肠出血性大肠埃希菌O157:H7是重要的食源性致病菌之一,并且其耐药性越来越严重,寻找裂解性强噬菌体用于防治大肠埃希菌感染具有广阔的应用前景。【目的】从环境中分离鉴定能特异裂解大肠埃希菌O157:H7的噬菌体,通过对生物学特性及裂解细菌功效的探究,为其在食品安全防控中提供理论依据和研究基础。【方法】通过双层平板法分离并纯化噬菌体,透射电镜观察噬菌体形态,测定最佳感染复数、一步生长曲线、pH稳定性、温度稳定性,对噬菌体进行全基因组测序及噬菌体裂解细菌功效。【结果】2株大肠埃希菌O157:H7噬菌体FEC14和FEC19的头部皆呈二十面体立体对称,FEC14头部直径约80nm,尾丝呈星形,FEC19头部直径约58 nm,尾丝呈针形;噬菌体FEC14的最佳感染复数为0.001,潜伏期为15 min,裂解期为65 min,平均暴发量为156 PFU/cell,FEC19的最佳感染复数为0.1,潜伏期为10 min,裂解期为80 min,平均暴发量为800 PFU/cell;噬菌体FEC14能在60℃、pH 4.0-11.0条件下存活,噬菌体FEC19在70℃、pH5.0-9.0条件下存...     

大肠杆菌O157:H7噬菌体鸡尾酒喷雾干燥微囊粉剂的制备及其应用

【目的】提高噬菌体在常温环境下的保存稳定性,解决噬菌体鸡尾酒在体内失活的问题,为噬菌体对肠道疾病的治疗提供参考依据。【方法】本研究采用喷雾干燥技术制备噬菌体鸡尾酒微球粉末,通过单因素试验和正交试验确定最佳制备条件,并对其特性进行研究,比较其与游离噬菌体在常温环境和体内环境的稳定性差异,并通过口服给药的方式对大肠杆菌(Escherichia coli)O157:H7导致的肠道疾病进行治疗。【结果】本研究以海藻糖和亮氨酸组合为保护剂制备了一种具有热稳定性的噬菌体鸡尾酒微球粉末,试验结果显示,海藻糖和亮氨酸质量比为9:1时,设置进料速度为7.5 mL/min、海藻糖浓度为2%、入口温度为130℃、噬菌体鸡尾酒悬液与保护剂溶液体积比为1:50,噬菌体滴度损失最小,仅下降(0.623±0.235)log10 PFU/g。其在常温条件下保存6个月,噬菌体鸡尾酒滴度损失(0.862±0.082)log10 PFU/g,较游离噬菌体具有更长的保存稳定性,且其于体内环境的稳定性和治疗效果均优于游离噬菌体鸡尾酒。【结论】采用喷雾干燥法配合合适的保护剂配方可制得具有生物活性和热稳定性的噬菌体鸡尾酒微球粉末,延长其保质期,便于常温条件下的保存运输,使噬菌体制剂从实验室方向转化为工业方向的规模化生产提供参考依据。且噬菌体微球粉末清除肠道内大肠杆菌的能力更强、速度更快,是一种具有体内治疗发展潜力的口服给药剂型。     

一株耐碳青霉烯类鲍曼不动杆菌噬菌体的分离鉴定和临床应用

【背景】耐药菌感染是人类生命健康的重要威胁,寻找抗生素替代或辅助疗法迫在眉睫,噬菌体是细菌的天敌,有很大的开发潜力。【目的】分离针对耐碳青霉烯类鲍曼不动杆菌(carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii, CRAB)的烈性噬菌体,治疗患者CRAB肺部感染,为噬菌体疗法的推广积累经验。【方法】用CRAB临床菌株NAB11B做宿主菌,从医院污水中分离新噬菌体,进行生物学特征和基因组特点的表征、分析后制备成高纯度的噬菌体制剂,通过雾化吸入的方式治疗肺部CRAB感染,评估噬菌体疗法的有效性和安全性。【结果】分离到一株新噬菌体,命名为AB＿SZL4,其潜伏期短、增殖速度快、抑菌能力强、生物学稳定性高且不携带有害基因。在临床应用中,噬菌体鸡尾酒联合抗生素疗法能快速清除肺部病原菌,且未见明显噬菌体相关不良反应。【结论】AB＿SZL4是一株有极大临床应用潜力的烈性噬菌体。     

驯化噬菌体提高噬菌体对碳青霉烯类耐药肺炎克雷伯菌的杀菌能力

【目的】本研究旨在通过驯化提高噬菌体的裂解能力并降低其宿主菌耐受性产生的速度,从而提高对重要病原菌-碳青霉烯类耐药肺炎克雷伯菌(carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae, CRKp)的杀菌效果。【方法】以临床CRKp菌株Kp2092为宿主菌,利用双层琼脂平板法从污水中分离噬菌体并分析其裂解谱;对其中的广谱强裂解性噬菌体通过透射电镜观察其形态特征并进行全基因组测序;通过噬菌体-宿主连续培养进行噬菌体驯化,并比较驯化前后噬菌体生物学特性的差异。【结果】分离得到的9株肺炎克雷伯菌噬菌体中,噬菌体P55anc裂解能力强且裂解谱广,透射电镜观察发现其为短尾噬菌体。P55anc基因组全长40 301 bp,包含51个编码序列,其中27个具有已知功能,主要涉及核酸代谢、噬菌体结构蛋白、DNA包装和细胞裂解等。噬菌体P55anc经9 d的驯化后,得到3株驯化噬菌体。驯化后噬菌体杀菌能力增强,主要表现为细菌生长曲线显著下降、噬菌体暴发量增多、裂解谱扩大,且宿主菌对其产生抗性的概率显著降低。与此同时,驯化后的噬菌体在热处理、紫外暴露以及血清等环境下保持较好的稳定性。【结论】利用噬菌体-宿主连续培养的方法可对噬菌体进行驯化和筛选,驯化后的噬菌体杀菌效果更强,且在不同压力处理下的稳定性良好,而细菌产生噬菌体抗性的概率也降低。     

一株宽谱裂解性溶藻弧菌噬菌体ФV170的分离鉴定及生物学特性

【背景】溶藻弧菌(Vibrio alginolyticus)是水产养殖中重要的条件致病菌,对海水养殖业造成了极大的危害。传统的抗生素疗法引发的耐药问题已经成为全球面临的严峻挑战之一,而作为可替代抗生素的噬菌体疗法已被证实能够有效治疗弧菌病。【目的】深入研究溶藻弧菌噬菌体ФV170的生物学特性,为该菌株在水产动物病害控制中的应用提供数据支持。【方法】以溶藻弧菌V170为宿主菌,采用斑点法从凡纳滨对虾养殖水体中筛选噬菌体,并以双层平板法对噬菌体进行纯化、生长、效价等方面的研究;利用电镜观察噬菌体形态;通过酶切方法分析噬菌体的基因组大小及其类型。【结果】分离得到一株宽谱裂解性噬菌体ФV170,其噬菌斑边缘整齐且通透,12 h直径达1.5 mm。鉴定结果显示,噬菌体ФV170头部为正廿面体的立体对称结构,直径为60 nm-65 nm,尾部长为65 nm-75 nm,宽14 nm-18 nm,核酸类型为dsDNA,基因组大小约为45 kb,对氯仿不敏感,属于有尾噬菌体目(Caudovirales)肌尾噬菌体科(Myoviridae)。此外,噬菌体ФV170可裂解15株溶藻弧菌中的7株,属于种内宽谱;最佳感染复数为0.01;一步生长曲线显示潜伏期为10 min,裂解量为101.3;对65°C以上温度敏感。【结论】分离得到一株宽谱裂解性溶藻弧菌噬菌体,该噬菌体具有治疗海水养殖过程中溶藻弧菌病的潜力。     

荧光标记噬菌体快速检测K1荚膜大肠杆菌方法的建立及应用

【背景】大肠杆菌(Escherichia coli,E.coli)是引发新生儿脑膜炎和禽类脑膜炎最常见的革兰氏阴性菌,其中含K1荚膜大肠杆菌是重要的病原菌。目前,K1荚膜大肠杆菌的检测方法存在一些弊端。【目的】利用PNJ1809-36噬菌体的宿主特异性建立快速检测K1荚膜大肠杆菌的方法。【方法】用荧光染料SYBR Gold标记PNJ1809-36噬菌体,侵染33株受试菌,在荧光显微镜下观察,测定该方法的特异性;倍比稀释宿主菌DE058,用荧光标记噬菌体侵染,测定该方法的灵敏度;用荧光标记噬菌体检测8份模拟粪样,测定该方法的临床应用效果;测定4℃避光保存4个月的荧光标记噬菌体的效价和检测效果。【结果】33株受试菌中的9株K1荚膜大肠杆菌有8株可见环状荧光,1株未能检出;20株非K1荚膜大肠杆菌以及4株非大肠杆菌属细菌均不能观察到荧光,检测灵敏度达100CFU/mL。8份模拟粪样的检测结果显示,3份含有K1荚膜大肠杆菌的粪样均可见环状荧光,5份不含K1荚膜大肠杆菌的粪样均无荧光。荧光标记噬菌体4℃避光保存4个月后效价无明显下降,检测效果无明显变化,表明该荧光标记噬菌体在4℃避光条件下较稳定...     

一株肺炎克雷伯菌噬菌体的生物学特性及全基因组分析

【背景】随着抗生素的广泛使用甚至滥用,细菌耐药性问题日益显著,利用噬菌体治疗耐药致病菌的方法重新开始被人们关注。【目的】对一株烈性肺炎克雷伯菌噬菌体vB_KpnP_IME279进行生物学特性研究及生物信息学分析。【方法】以一株多重耐药的肺炎克雷伯菌为宿主菌,从医院污水中分离噬菌体,应用双层平板法检测噬菌体效价、最佳感染复数(Optimal MOI)、一步生长曲线以及裂解谱,纯化后通过透射电镜观察噬菌体形态;应用蛋白酶K/SDS法提取噬菌体全基因组,使用Illumina MiSeq测序平台进行噬菌体全基因组测序,测序后对噬菌体全基因组序列进行组装、注释、进化和比较基因组学分析。【结果】分离到一株新的肺炎克雷伯菌噬菌体,命名为vB_KpnP_IME279;其最佳感染复数为0.1,一步生长曲线显示潜伏期为20 min,平均裂解量140 PFU/cell,电镜观察显示该噬菌体属于短尾噬菌体科(Podoviridae)。基因组测序表明,噬菌体基因组全长为42 518 bp,(G+C)mol%含量为59.3%。BLASTn比对结果表明,该噬菌体与目前已知噬菌体的相似性较低,基因组仅70%区域与已知噬菌体有同源性。构建噬菌体主要衣壳蛋白的基因进化树,分析了噬菌体IME279与其他短尾科噬菌体的进化关系,结果表明该噬菌体是短尾科噬菌体的一名新成员。【结论】分离鉴定了一株新的肺炎克雷伯菌噬菌体,进行了生物学特性、全基因组测序和生物信息学分析,为研究肺炎克雷伯菌噬菌体与宿主之间的相互作用关系以及治疗多重耐药细菌感染奠定了基础。     

超广谱β-内酰胺酶肺炎克雷伯菌噬菌体F20的分离鉴定及其对小鼠败血症治疗效果

【背景】肺炎克雷伯菌是引起临床感染的重要条件致病菌之一,肺炎克雷伯菌中产超广谱β-内酰胺酶(Extended-spectrum beta-lactamases,ESBLs)的耐药菌株增多迫切需要找到一种新的治疗方法。【目的】自污水中分离超广谱β-内酰胺酶肺炎克雷伯菌噬菌体,并明确其生物学特性、观察其治疗小鼠产ESBLs肺炎克雷伯菌感染的疗效。【方法】电镜观察F20形态,调查其噬菌谱、生长曲线等生物学特性。建立小鼠败血症感染模型观察F20治疗小鼠肺炎克雷伯菌感染的疗效。【结果】F20在其宿主菌的菌苔上形成裂解性噬菌体所具有的完全透明的噬菌斑,电镜观察F20具典型的有尾噬菌体目长尾病毒科病毒的形态特征。一步生长曲线显示F20的潜伏期为18 min,裂解量为89 PFU/细胞。稳定性试验显示F20在pH 5.0-9.0及50°C环境均具良好稳定性。使用噬菌体F20对败血症小鼠治疗后,治疗组小鼠各外周血和各脏器(肺脏、肝脏、脾脏和肾脏)中的细菌数也显著小于对照组细菌数(P0.001),与对照组相比下降大约1–3数量级。F20治疗败血症小鼠存活率达到87.5%,无毒副作用,而对照组小鼠在1 d内全部死亡,可显著提高小鼠的存活率(P0.001)。【结论】新分离的裂解性噬菌体F20在小鼠体内能安全有效地治疗超广谱β-内酰胺酶肺炎克雷伯菌引起的败血症,可作为生物抗菌剂的有效成分。     

Isolation and characterization of bacteriophages specific for Campylobacter jejuni

Human infection by Campylobacter jejuni is mainly through the consumption of contaminated poultry products, which results in gastroenteritis and, rarely, bacteremia and polyneuropathies. In this study, six C. jejuni -specific bacteriophages (CPS1–6) were isolated by the spot-on-the-lawn technique from chicken samples in Korea and characterized for potential use as biocontrol agents. All isolated bacteriophages exhibited a high specificity, being able to lyse only C. jejuni , but not other Gram–negative bacteria, including C. coli , Escherichia coli , Salmonella spp., and Gram–positive bacteria. Bacteriophages contain an icosahedral head and a contractile tail sheath in transmission electron microscopy, and possess ds-DNA with an average genome size of approximately 145 kb; therefore, all bacteriophages are categorized into the Myoviridae family. Bacterial lysis studies in liquid media revealed that CPS2 could be used to control the growth of C. jejuni .     

Isolation and characterization of a novel Enterococcus faecalis bacteriophage φEF24C as a therapeutic candidate

Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis (VRE) has become a significant threat in nosocomial settings. Bacteriophage (phage) therapy is frequently proposed as a potential alternative therapy for infections caused by this bacterium. To search for candidate therapeutic phages against Enterococcus faecalis infections, 30 Enterococcus faecalis phages were isolated from the environment. One of these, virulent phage φEF24C, which has a broad host range, was selected for analysis. The plaque-forming ability of φEF24C was virtually unaffected by differences in the clinical host strains. Furthermore, the phage had a shorter latent period and a larger burst size than ordinary tailed phages, indicating that φEF24C has effective lytic activity against many Enterococcus faecalis strains, including VRE. Morphological and genomic analyses revealed that φEF24C is a large myovirus (classified as family Myoviridae morphotype A1) with a linear double-stranded DNA genome of c . 143 kbp. Analyses of the N-terminal amino acid sequences of the virion proteins, together with the morphology and the genome size, speculated that φEF24C is closely related to other myoviruses of Gram-positive bacteria that have been used experimentally or practically for therapy or prophylaxis. Considering these results, φEF24C may be a potential candidate therapeutic phage against Enterococcus faecalis infections.     

Studies related to the head-maturation pathway of bacteriophages T4 and T2: II. Nuclear disruption,protein synthesis and particle formation with the mutant 43−·30−·46−

We describe the aberrant phage multiplication of the triple conditional lethal mutant 43^?(polymerase)· 30^?(ligase)·46^?(exonuclease) of bacteriophage T4D in which phage DNA replication is arrested but some late protein synthesis occurs (33). The nuclear disruption is indistinguishable from wild type. Forty-five empty small and empty large particles are assembled per cell when the multiplicity of infection (m.o.i.) is 100. This number corresponds closely to the 38 phage equivalents of cleaved major head protein determined biochemically. By reducing the m.o.i. the number of observable particles decreases, reaching 1–5 per cell at an m.o.i. of 5(+5). The total synthesis of phage related proteins is not significantly dependant on the m.o.i. The synthesis of late proteins is about 10% of that of wild type at high m.o.i. and decreases with the m.o.i. The different early and late proteins do not show the same relative proportions as in wild type and respond differently to an increased m.o.i. These and other results are discussed with respect to the role of phage DNA in prehead assembly and head maturation.     

Studies related to the head-maturation pathway of bacteriophages T4 and T2: I. Morphology and kinetics of intracellular particles produced by mutants in the maturation genes

Mutants in the genes governing the maturation of the head of bacteriophage T4 and in gene 24 were studied by electron microscopy of thin sections. We define morphologically: black particles, comprising mature, stable heads and immature, fragile heads, which break down upon lysis; grizzled particles, which apparently are partially filled or partially emptied; empty large particles without DNA or core Which are all the same size as normal heads; empty small particles without DNA and without core which are of the size of the τ particle, which is the prehead of phage T4. The study of single and double mutants of the maturation genes demonstrates that the phenotypes are only different by the proportions of the different particles made except for 17^? where only empty small and empty large particles accumulate. The mutants in gene 24 are epistatic on all other mutants. Mutants in gene 17 are epistatic on the remaining ones. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that the products of several of the maturation genes act on DNA to render it competent for packaging while the others act directly on the particle. By this uncoupling, bypasses and abortive pathways can result.     

提高噬菌体裂解酶抗菌活性的研究进展

随着细菌耐药性问题的日益严重,人们开始寻求新型抗菌制剂。噬菌体裂解酶是一种由ds DNA噬菌体编码的水解酶,能高效特异性地裂解细菌细胞壁且不易使细菌产生耐药性。由于天然裂解酶具有宿主谱窄,不能裂解革兰阴性菌等缺点,研究者对裂解酶进行了大量的设计改造。本研究主要对提高噬菌体裂解酶抗菌活性的研究进展进行综述。     

阪崎肠杆菌噬菌体的分离及其生物学特性

[目的]以阪崎肠杆菌模式菌株及分离菌株为指示菌,从污水中分离出该菌噬菌体,并对其基本生物学特性进行研究.[方法]以双层琼脂法从污水中分离噬菌体,通过同属和同科参考菌株测定噬菌体的特异性和宿主谱;电镜观察噬菌体颗粒形态;随机扩增多态性DNA(RAPD)实验分析噬菌体的分子生物学特性.[结果]从污水中分离得到5株噬菌体,表现出较窄的宿主范围,仅裂解阪崎肠杆菌,以ATCC 51329分离的噬菌体SK2可裂解27株阪崎肠杆菌中的24株(89%),负染经电镜观察,5株噬菌体都是由多面体头部和尾部组成;随机引物(5′-GAAACGGGTG-3′)扩增DNA分析,5株噬菌体DNA明显不同.[结论]分离出的5株噬菌体仅对阪崎肠杆菌敏感,在阪崎肠杆菌的分型、预防、治疗、以及生态环境的净化等方面具有潜在用途.     

Bacteriophage Mu genome sequence: analysis and comparison with Mu-like prophages in Haemophilus, Neisseria and Deinococcus

We report the complete 36,717 bp genome sequence of bacteriophage Mu and provide an analysis of the sequence, both with regard to the new genes and other genetic features revealed by the sequence itself and by a comparison to eight complete or nearly complete Mu-like prophage genomes found in the genomes of a diverse group of bacteria. The comparative studies confirm that members of the Mu-related family of phage genomes are genetically mosaic with respect to each other, as seen in other groups of phages such as the phage lambda-related group of phages of enteric hosts and the phage L5-related group of mycobacteriophages. Mu also possesses segments of similarity, typically gene-sized, to genomes of otherwise non-Mu-like phages. The comparisons show that some well-known features of the Mu genome, including the invertible segment encoding tail fiber sequences, are not present in most members of the Mu genome sequence family examined here, suggesting that their presence may be relatively volatile over evolutionary time.The head and tail-encoding structural genes of Mu have only very weak similarity to the corresponding genes of other well-studied phage types. However, these weak similarities, and in some cases biochemical data, can be used to establish tentative functional assignments for 12 of the head and tail genes. These assignments are strongly supported by the fact that the order of gene functions assigned in this way conforms to the strongly conserved order of head and tail genes established in a wide variety of other phages. We show that the Mu head assembly scaffolding protein is encoded by a gene nested in-frame within the C-terminal half of another gene that encodes the putative head maturation protease. This is reminiscent of the arrangement established for phage lambda.     

分支杆菌噬菌体D29 Lysin B的表达、纯化及酶学性质分析

克隆表达噬菌体D29 LysinB(LysB)并对其酶学性质进行研究。以噬菌体D29基因组为模板,用PCR方法扩增lysB基因,与表达载体pET22b连接,将重组质粒转化至Escherichiacoli BL21(DE3)中表达,镍柱亲和层析(Ni-NTA)纯化可溶性表达产物,并对重组蛋白的活性进行分析检测。结果表明:成功构建了pET22b-lysB表达载体,并从1L的LB培养物中获得了33.2mg高纯度重组蛋白(His-LysB);His-LysB具有分解脂肪的能力,属于脂肪酶;生物化学特性分析表明:丁酸对硝基苯(pNPB)为水解底物,His-LysB热稳定性不佳,30℃以下比较稳定,随着温度的升高,稳定性逐渐降低;该蛋白具有较高的pH值适应性,pH5.0~9.5范围内稳定性较高;在23℃和pH7.5时酶活力最高,其比酶活为1.3U/mg;金属离子Zn2+、Cu2+、Mg2+、Mn2+和苯甲基磺酰氟(PMSF)抑制剂对酶活具有强烈的抑制作用。本研究为开发新的治疗结核药物提供了一个新的选择。     

Prevalence, genetic conservation and transmissibility of the Chlamydia pneumoniae bacteriophage (phiCpn1)

The Chlamydia pneumoniae bacteriophage was first identified in isolate AR-39. Its relevance for chlamydial biology and pathogenicity remains unknown. In this study, a collection of 36 C. pneumoniae isolates was screened and the phage was detected in eight. As the positive isolates differed by several polymorphisms, they presumably belonged to different genetic lineages. It was investigated whether different genotypes of the phage also existed and whether they could be assigned to chlamydial genotypes as evidence of coevolution. Sequencing of >3000 bp of the 4524 bp phage genome revealed complete identity to the published sequences. Thus, it was hypothesized that the genetic conservation was related to easy transmissibility of the phage between C. pneumoniae isolates. Cocultivation of phage positive and negative isolates followed by cloning and identification of different C. pneumoniae genotypes demonstrated for the first time transmissibility of the bacteriophage from one isolate to the other. These observations indicate that the phage is capable of infecting C. pneumoniae isolates of different genetic backgrounds and suggest that all C. pneumoniae strains might be susceptible. The successful in vitro infection of C. pneumoniae with the phage provides the basis for studying its pathogenetic relevance in isolates of identical genetic background and provides a potential tool for genetic manipulation of C. pneumoniae.