Partial characterization of a new C3-type capsule-dissolving phage of Streptococcus cremoris.

A viscous, ropy, sour milk product, called 'viili,' is produced in Finland. Capsule-forming strains of Streptococcus cremoris are the typical starters for this product. Occasionally fermentation fails and results in a non-ropy clot. The reasons for these failures, however, are obscure. In one batch of spoiled 'viili,' a new C3-type bacteriophage, termed KSY1, was isolated. The head of the phage was about 230 nm long and about 50 nm wide and the tail was 35 nm long and carried a complex collar structure. Upon infection of a number of encapsulated cultures of S. cremoris with KSY1, the cocci, though not serving as a host of the phage, lost their capsules. A capsuleless strain, S. cremoris 249, served as a host. The latent period was about 150 min and the average burst size 80. The bouyant density of KSYI1 was 1.436 g/cm3.     

Binding of proflavin to T2L bacteriophage and its DNA.

We have measured the binding equilibria of proflavin to T2L bacteriophage, in both “slow” and “fast” sedimenting forms, and to free T2L DNA. Measurements were carried out by difference spectroscopy at 430 nm at temperatures from 13 to 43°C and at pH 5.6 and 7.6. We found no significant difference in the binding parameters of the two phage forms. Also, the fraction of nucleotides available as binding sites for proflavin was the same for both free and intraphage DNA. However, the binding constant is about an order of magnitude lower for encapsulated than for free T2L DNA, due to the decreased exothermicity of the binding reaction within the phage head.     

Bacteriophage Active Against the Lactic Acid Beverage-Producing Bacterium Lactobacillus casei

A virulent bacteriophage which causes a decrease in acid production during fermentation of a lactic acid beverage named Yakult with Lactobacillus casei was isolated from the abnormal fermentation tank and named PL-1. L. casei S strain was the exclusive host cell among 18 lactic acid bacteria tested. The plaque was round with an average diameter of about 0.5 mm. It exhibited serological cross-reaction with previously isolated J1 phage. Under an electron microscope, the phage had a spermatozoon shape, with an icosahedral head (63 nm) and a long tail (12.5 by 275 nm) with about 55 striae. The free phage particles were stable at pH 5 to 8. The phage was quite sensitive to ultraviolet irradiation or to heating (60 C, 5 min), and the host was more sensitive than the phage to these treatments. Many kinds of antimicrobial chemicals were also phagocidal. Calcium ion (5 mm) was specifically essential for the phage growth cycle. A one-step growth experiment under optimum conditions (37 C and pH 6.0) showed that the eclipse period was about 75 min, that the latent period was 100 min after the phage infection, and that the average burst size was about 200. The possibility of arresting phage development in lactic acid fermentation is discussed.     

OCCURRENCE OF A TEMPERATE CYANOPHAGE LYSOGENIZING THE MARINE CYANOPHYTE PHORMIDIUM PERSICINUM1

A temperate cyanophage was found to lysogenize the marine cyanophyte Phormidium persicinum (Reinke) Com. (Provasoli strain). The lytic cycle was induced by the addition of mitomycin C or by brief illumination with ultraviolet light. The lytic process observed under the electron microscope showed that phage particles appeared in a nucleoplasm region 15 to 24 h after the addition of mitomycin C. The induction of the lytic process occurred simultaneously in almost all cells of every trichome. Matured phage particles were released to the medium 30 to 50 h after the addition of mitomycin C. Phage particles isolated from algal lysates had a polyhedral head (about 40 nm in diameter) with a long (about 300 nm) and noncontractile tail. The most abundant protein, presumably a structural protein, had an apparent molecular mass of about 38 kDa. The genome size estimated from restriction analysis was about 50 kbp. Phage DNA was digested with several restriction endonucleases including Sau3AI and DpnI. However, MboI failed to digest the phage DNA, suggesting that the phage DNA is highly methylated. Southern blot analysis suggested that some part of the phage was in the lytic cycle in algal cells growing under normal conditions. A possible role of temperate cyanophages in the regulation of cyanophyte populations in the marine environment is discussed.     

Atomic Force Microscopy Analysis of the Acinetobacter baumannii Bacteriophage AP22 Lytic Cycle

Background

Acinetobacter baumannii is known for its ability to develop resistance to the major groups of antibiotics, form biofilms, and survive for long periods in hospital environments. The prevalence of infections caused by multidrug-resistant A. baumannii is a significant problem for the modern health care system, and application of lytic bacteriophages for controlling this pathogen may become a solution.

Methodology/Principal Findings

In this study, using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and microbiological assessment we have investigated A. baumannii bacteriophage AP22, which has been recently described. AFM has revealed the morphology of bacteriophage AP22, adsorbed on the surfaces of mica, graphite and host bacterial cells. Besides, morphological changes of bacteriophage AP22-infected A. baumannii cells were characterized at different stages of the lytic cycle, from phage adsorption to the cell lysis. The phage latent period, estimated from AFM was in good agreement with that obtained by microbiological methods (40 min). Bacteriophage AP22, whose head diameter is 62±1 nm and tail length is 88±9 nm, was shown to disperse A. baumannii aggregates and adsorb to the bacterial surface right from the first minute of their mutual incubation at 37°C.

Conclusions/Significance

High rate of bacteriophage AP22 specific adsorption and its ability to disperse bacterial aggregates make this phage very promising for biomedical antimicrobial applications. Complementing microbiological results with AFM data, we demonstrate an effective approach, which allows not only comparing independently obtained characteristics of the lytic cycle but also visualizing the infection process.     

Nonreplicated DNA and DNA Fragments in T4 r? Bacteriophage Particles: Phenotypic Mixing of a Phage Protein

"Conservative phage" containing a genome derived from an infecting phage particle which has not undergone replication in the cell but nevertheless has become encapsulated and released in a normal phage particle, are found after infection of Escherichia coli with rII(-) or rI(-) mutants under conditions which result in rapid lysis. If such conservative phage are derived from a mixed infection with v(+) and v(1) phage, they display phenotypic mixing of the v gene product (an endonuclease carried in the phage particle). Populations of rI and rII mutant phage grown under conditions of rapid lysis include particles containing short DNA fragments. It is suggested that a "maturation defect", common to rI and rII mutants, but absent in rIII mutants, may account for the encapsulation of nonreplicated DNA as well as that of the DNA fragments.     

Induction and preliminary characterization of a novel halophage SNJ1 from lysogenic Natrinema sp. F5

Halophage SNJ1 was induced with mitomycin C from Natrinema sp. strain F5. The phage produces plaques on Natrinema sp. strain J7 only. The phage has a head of about 67 nm in diameter and a tail of 570 nm in length and belongs morphologically to the family Siphoviridae. The phage is strongly salt dependent; NaCl concentration affects the integrity of SNJ1, phage adsorption, and plaque formation. The optimal NaCl concentration for phage adsorption and plaque formation is 30% and 25%, respectively.     

Microencapsulation of Bacteriophage Felix O1 into Chitosan-Alginate Microspheres for Oral Delivery

This paper reports the development of microencapsulated bacteriophage Felix O1 for oral delivery using a chitosan-alginate-CaCl₂ system. In vitro studies were used to determine the effects of simulated gastric fluid (SGF) and bile salts on the viability of free and encapsulated phage. Free phage Felix O1 was found to be extremely sensitive to acidic environments and was not detectable after a 5-min exposure to pHs below 3.7. In contrast, the number of microencapsulated phage decreased by 0.67 log units only, even at pH 2.4, for the same period of incubation. The viable count of microencapsulated phage decreased only 2.58 log units during a 1-h exposure to SGF with pepsin at pH 2.4. After 3 h of incubation in 1 and 2% bile solutions, the free phage count decreased by 1.29 and 1.67 log units, respectively, while the viability of encapsulated phage was fully maintained. Encapsulated phage was completely released from the microspheres upon exposure to simulated intestinal fluid (pH 6.8) within 6 h. The encapsulated phage in wet microspheres retained full viability when stored at 4°C for the duration of the testing period (6 weeks). With the use of trehalose as a stabilizing agent, the microencapsulated phage in dried form had a 12.6% survival rate after storage for 6 weeks. The current encapsulation technique enables a large proportion of bacteriophage Felix O1 to remain bioactive in a simulated gastrointestinal tract environment, which indicates that these microspheres may facilitate delivery of therapeutic phage to the gut.     

多重耐药肺炎克雷伯菌噬菌体KP002的生物学特性及基因组学研究

以上海某些医院临床分离到的多重耐药肺炎克雷伯菌为宿主菌,从不同环境的污水中分离获得1株肺炎克雷伯菌噬菌体KP002。电子显微镜显示其为有尾噬菌体,头部直径约70nm,尾长约80nm,尾宽约20nm。对其生物学特性进行研究,结果显示此株噬菌体在pH 3~9及4~50℃的环境中具有较高活性;6min吸附率达95%以上;潜伏期为10min,爆发期为50min;裂解量为172pfu/cell。结果表明,该噬菌体对pH值和温度适应范围较宽。对其全基因组进行测序分析,结果显示其基因组为环状双链DNA,全长47 173bp,GC含量为48%。本研究筛选获得1株对pH值和温度适应范围较宽的耐药肺炎克雷伯菌烈性噬菌体KP002,为建立耐药肺炎克雷伯菌的噬菌体库以用于治疗临床多重耐药菌感染提供了新的思路。     

两株副溶血弧菌烈性噬菌体的分离鉴定

研究旨在筛选烈性噬菌体, 为副溶血弧菌(Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Vp)病害防控增加新的选择。以副溶血弧菌Vp13为宿主菌, 通过二层琼脂平板法筛选, 分离到了2株烈性噬菌体SX-2和SX-F。对其形态结构进行了透射电镜观察, 利用DNase I、 RNase A、Mung Bean Nuclease和Hind Ш酶进行噬菌体核酸类型鉴定, 并对噬菌体的裂解谱、最佳感染复数、一步生长曲线进行了测定。透射电镜观察结果显示: SX-2核衣壳头部长约110 nm, 宽约50 nm, 尾部长约150 nm, 宽约10 nm, 为典型的复合体制; SX-F核衣壳呈正六边形, 长约为56.86 nm,宽约50.74 nm, 未观察到尾部, 推测为正二十面体对称; 核酸测定结果显示两者均为线性双链DNA。依据国际病毒分类委员会第九次报告, SX-2符合肌尾噬菌体科特征, SX-F符合盖噬菌体科特征。噬菌体SX-2和SX-F对85株弧菌裂解结果显示: 噬菌体SX-2能够裂解23株副溶血弧菌和1株溶藻弧菌(Vibrio alginolyticus), 噬菌体SX-F能够裂解19株副溶血弧菌和1株溶藻弧菌。SX-2和SX-F的最佳感染复数均为0.0001。一步生长曲线结果显示: SX-F的潜伏期约10min, 裂解期约70min, 裂解量为116.2; 噬菌体SX-2的潜伏期小于10min, 裂解期大约70min, 裂解量为209.3。两株噬菌体生物学特性表明SX-2与SX-F均为烈性噬菌体, 这为进一步探讨噬菌体防治技术奠定了基础。