噬菌体分离纯化技术研究进展*

噬菌体应用领域十分广泛,因此在制备噬菌体过程中,需采用不同的技术或几种技术相结合的方法来获得具有不同纯度的噬菌体制剂。常用的技术主要包括沉淀、过滤和离心。近年来,色谱技术、场流分流技术和电泳技术等的应用,为制备噬菌体制剂提供了新的方向。     

噬菌体抗菌治疗安全性评估体系的建立

人类已经进入后抗生素时代,噬菌体治疗近年来重新备受重视,噬菌体制剂不同于传统抗菌药物,已有对传统抗菌药物的安全性评估体系不适合用于对噬菌体治疗制剂的评估,需要建立对噬菌体治疗安全性评估的体系。本文就噬菌体治疗所涉及的安全性问题进行系统分析研究,通过噬菌体本身的选择、噬菌体制剂制备、制剂形式、制剂给予途径、剂量和频次等,以及噬菌体治疗细菌感染性疾病患者选择等所涉及的安全性和噬菌体治疗对周围微环境的影响等进行全面分析。建立噬菌体治疗安全性评估体系,为噬菌体治疗尽早进入临床奠定基础。     

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。     

噬菌体粉剂的制备及抗逆性与稳定性

【背景】细菌耐药已成为全球严重的公共卫生问题,养殖业是细菌耐药性产生的重要源头之一。我国正在全力推进"减抗、限抗、禁抗"战略。新型安全高效的抗生素替代品成为当前养殖业的重要需求。噬菌体因其能有效裂解细菌被认为是一个重要的突破口,但噬菌体作为活体微生物,在保存和使用时存在稳定性差、利用率低等问题。【目的】制备噬菌体粉剂,提高噬菌体的抗逆性和稳定性,为噬菌体在养殖业中的应用提供技术支持。【方法】选用大肠杆菌噬菌体BpEP4,采用嵌段式聚醚F-68包被噬菌体,然后负载于脱脂米糠制得噬菌体粉剂,双层琼脂平板法测定粉剂的噬菌体效价,研究其耐高温性能、pH稳定性与常温保存稳定性。【结果】噬菌体粉剂可以在100℃保持噬菌体的活性,pH耐受范围为2.0-12.0。常温下保存3个月噬菌体效价无明显降低。【结论】粉剂显著提高了噬菌体的抗逆性与稳定性,具有很好的应用价值和推广前景。     

噬菌体抗体库构建技术在疾病防治中的应用

噬菌体抗体库技术(phage antibody library)是近年发展的一项分子生物学新技术,近年来越来越多的学者利用这项技术获得目标抗体以应用于医疗制药及安全检测等多个领域.噬菌体抗体库技术的发展和应用,为抗体技术领域带来了巨大的变化,极大地推动了各种性能优良基因工程抗体的开发和应用.针对噬菌体抗体库构建的原理、方法、构建过程中所需考虑的因素以及在不同领域的应用作了综述.     

噬菌体治疗——旧概念, 新阶段

噬菌体治疗技术由来已久.噬菌体治疗的研究始于上世纪初,之后由于抗生素的出现及其他原因在美国和西欧等国家中断.近年来,全球范围的细菌耐药性使得科学家们重新审视和评估噬菌体治疗技术,显示出巨大潜力.论述噬菌体发现历程及早期研究、人类及动物细菌感染的应用、噬菌体治疗与抗生素的不同之处、存在的问题等,并探讨噬菌体技术可能的发展...     

噬菌体特异性抗体对噬菌体治疗的影响

噬菌体治疗已成为当下防控泛耐药细菌感染的重要选择。噬菌体作为含有蛋白和核酸组分的病毒颗粒,经不同途径进入机体后,均能诱导机体产生特异性中和抗体。本文就噬菌体治疗过程中诱导机体产生的特异性中和抗体、抗体的产生规律、抗体是否影响噬菌体治疗疗效,以及可能克服抗体影响噬菌体治疗的方法等进行论述。噬菌体颗粒诱导特异性中和抗体的产生及血清抗噬菌体活性的水平与噬菌体的给予途径、类型和剂量、结构蛋白以及宿主的免疫状态、感染部位、治疗持续时间等均有关,且不同类型抗体产生时间和强度不同,均能中和噬菌体从而降低其杀菌效果。这提示在使用噬菌体治疗耐药细菌感染时,需要探索克服噬菌体中和抗体干扰的方法,或针对机体不同状态及感染类别制定相应的治疗策略,降低诱导机体产生噬菌体特异性中和抗体的风险,以获得最佳治疗效果。     

噬菌体作为指示病毒的应用研究进展北大核心

噬菌体是一类专性侵染细菌的病毒,在形态大小、结构组成等生物特性上与高等生物病毒具有相似性,同时噬菌体实验室操作技术简单,安全性高,在培养、计数、稳定性和灵敏度等方面具有非常大的优势。因此,将噬菌体作为指示生物模拟或替代高等生物病毒的研究和应用已开始受到国内外研究人员的关注,并取得一定进展。本文论述了噬菌体作为指示病毒的优势,并对噬菌体在病毒过滤去除效果评价、消毒效果评价、病毒传播规律研究、环境及水质监测等领域的研究和应用进行了总结分析,综述了噬菌体在各领域应用的可行性证据、应用案例及难点问题,并结合噬菌体作为指示病毒的不足之处,对进一步以噬菌体作为指示病毒的研究和应用提出建议和展望。     

噬菌体治疗细菌性感染及其限制因素

近年来,细菌耐药性已成为抗感染领域面临的严峻问题,临床对一些细菌性感染疾病束手无策。噬菌体疗法是一种通过噬菌体裂解细菌来治疗病原菌感染的治疗手段。噬菌体在抗菌领域表现出显著的优越性,成为目前治疗细菌性感染的研究热点。本文对近年来噬菌体治疗动物和人类病原菌感染、限制其临床应用的因素及解决措施进行综述。     

噬菌体表面展示技术

噬菌体展示技术(PhageDisplayTechniques,PDT)是一种用于筛选和改造功能性多肽的生物技术。自问世以来,它已被广泛应用于生命科学的许多领域。对噬菌体展示技术的基本原理、噬菌体表面展示系统研究以及噬菌体展示技术的应用、展望等进行了探讨,由此可以看出:噬菌体展示技术的进一步发展,必将为生命科学及相关学科的发展带来深远的影响。     

T4-related bacteriophage LIMEstone isolates for the control of soft rot on potato caused by 'Dickeya solani'

The bacterium 'Dickeya solani', an aggressive biovar 3 variant of Dickeya dianthicola, causes rotting and blackleg in potato. To control this pathogen using bacteriophage therapy, we isolated and characterized two closely related and specific bacteriophages, vB_DsoM_LIMEstone1 and vB_DsoM_LIMEstone2. The LIMEstone phages have a T4-related genome organization and share DNA similarity with Salmonella phage ViI. Microbiological and molecular characterization of the phages deemed them suitable and promising for use in phage therapy. The phages reduced disease incidence and severity on potato tubers in laboratory assays. In addition, in a field trial of potato tubers, when infected with 'Dickeya solani', the experimental phage treatment resulted in a higher yield. These results form the basis for the development of a bacteriophage-based biocontrol of potato plants and tubers as an alternative for the use of antibiotics.     

Phagotherapy in terms of bacteriophage genetics: hopes, perspectives, safety, limitations

The appearance and spreading of multidrug-resistant bacterial pathogens is a consequence of the large-scale use of antibiotics in medicine. In view of this, claims for the phage therapy were renewed: in recent studies, the natural phages and their products neutralizing various proteins, as well as the bacterial products often controlled by defective prophages (bacteriocins) were applied for treatment of bacterial infections. Constructs obtained by gene engineering are increasingly used to change some bacteriophage: properties to expand the spectrum of their lytic activity and to eliminate therapeutic drawbacks of some natural phages. In this review, the problem of phage therapy is discussed in general with respect to bacteriophage properties, their genetics, structure, evolution, taking into account long-term experience of the author in the field of bacteriophage genetics. Note that the general concept of phage therapy should be developed to ensure long-term, efficient and harmless phage therapy.     

Phage Therapy in Terms of Bacteriophage Genetics: Hopes, Prospects, Safety, Limitations

The appearance and spreading of multidrug-resistant bacterial pathogens is a consequence of the large-scale use of antibiotics in medicine. In view of this, claims for the phage therapy were renewed: in recent studies, the natural phages and their products neutralizing various proteins, as well as the bacterial products often controlled by defective prophages (bacteriocins) were applied for treatment of bacterial infections. Constructs obtained by gene engineering are increasingly used to change bacteriophage properties to expand the spectrum of their lytic activity and to eliminate therapeutic drawbacks of some natural phages. In this review, the problem of phage therapy is discussed in general with respect to bacteriophage properties, their genetics, structure, evolution, taking into account long-term experience of the author in the field of bacteriophage genetics. Note that the general concept of phage therapy should be developed to ensure long-term, efficient and harmless phage therapy.     

Long-Term Storage of Bacteriophages of Lactic Streptococci

Four phage strains representing phages of Streptococcus lactis, S. cremoris, and S. diacetilactis were selected for the observation of the effect of cold storage on their viability. Phages were stored at 4 C and at -18 C, or were frozen at approximately -70 C and stored at -18 C. They were found to display a high degree of stability with these storage methods. The same phage strains showed good stability to storage at room temperature for 3 weeks after thawing and also to alternate freezing and thawing eight times. Three series consisting of from 23 to 31 lactic streptococcal phage preparations were observed over periods extending up to 6 years, and with only a few exceptions were found to store satisfactorily at -18 C after quick freezing. Although the same phage preparations stored at 4 C were generally somewhat less stable, many were stable when stored by both methods.     

Population and evolutionary dynamics of phage therapy

Following a sixty-year hiatus in western medicine, bacteriophages (phages) are again being advocated for treating and preventing bacterial infections. Are attempts to use phages for clinical and environmental applications more likely to succeed now than in the past? Will phage therapy and prophylaxis suffer the same fates as antibiotics--treatment failure due to acquired resistance and ever-increasing frequencies of resistant pathogens? Here, the population and evolutionary dynamics of bacterial-phage interactions that are relevant to phage therapy and prophylaxis are reviewed and illustrated with computer simulations.     

Isolation and characterization of lytic bacteriophages from sewage at an egyptian tertiary care hospital against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus clinical isolates

BackgroundMethicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a pathogen to humans causing life-threatening infections. MRSA have the capability to grow resistance to many antibiotics, and phage therapy is one treatment option for this infection.ObjectivesThe aim of the present study was to isolate and characterize the lytic bacteriophages specific to MRSA from domestic sewage water at a tertiary care hospital in Egypt.MethodsThirty MRSA strains were isolated from different clinical samples admitted to the microbiology lab at Theodor Bilharz Research institute (TBRI) hospital, Giza, Egypt. They were confirmed to be MRSA through phenotypic detection and conventional PCR for mecA gene. They were used for the isolation of phages from sewage water of TBRI hospital. Plaque assay was applied to purify and quantify the titer of the isolated phages. The host range of the isolated phages was detected using the spot test assay. The morphology of phages was confirmed using transmission electron microscope (TEM). Digestion of DNA extracted from phages with endonuclease enzymes including EcoRI and SmaI was performed. SDS-PAGE was performed to analyze MRSA specific phage proteins. As a positive control prophages were isolated from a mitomycin C (MitC) treated culture of S. aureus strain ATCC25923. Further characterization using conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to select three known Staphylophages by detecting the endolysin gene of phage K, the polymerase gene of phage 44AHJD, and the minor tail gene of phage P68.ResultsIsolated phages in this research displayed a wide host range against MRSA using the spot test, out of thirty tested MRSA isolates 24 were sensitive and got lysed (80%). The titer of the phages was estimated to be 1.04 × 10⁶ pfu/ml using plaque test. Identification of head and tail morphology of the phages was achieved using TEM and they were designated to tailed phages of order Caudovirales, they composed an icosahedral capsid. Prophages were isolated through MitC induction. DNA of phages was digested by endonuclease enzymes. Conventional PCR yielded 341 bp of phage K endolysin gene and phage P68 minor tail protein gene 501 bp. Protein analysis using SDS-PAGE showed 4 proteins of sizes between 42 kDa and 140 kDa.ConclusionPhages isolated here are alike to others mentioned in previous studies. The high broad host range of the isolated phages is promising to control MRSA and can be in the future commercially suitable for treatment as lysate preparations. Animal models of phage-bacterial interaction will be our next step that may help in resolving the multidrug resistant crisis of MRSA in Egypt.     

Exploring the therapeutic potential of staphylococcal phage formulations: Current challenges and applications in phage therapy

Unconstrained consumption of antibiotics throughout the expanse of the 21st century has resulted in increased antimicrobial resistance (AMR) among bacterial pathogens, a transpiring predicament affecting the public healthcare sector. The upsurge of multidrug-resistant pathogens, including Staphylococcus aureus, synchronously with the breakdown of the conventional antibiotic pipeline has led to the exploration of alternate strategies. Phage therapy applications have thus gained immense prominence among the scientific community to conquer this notorious pathogen associated with wide-ranging clinical manifestations, especially in immunosuppressed individuals. In this direction, a plethora of phage formulations like topical solutions, medicated dressings impregnated with phages, liposomal entrapments, etc., have been considered as an effective and upcoming strategy. Owing to the synergistic effect of phages with other antibacterial agents, they can be easily exploited for biomedical application. This review primarily focuses on the therapeutic implications of S. aureus phages in the biotechnological and medical arena. Through this review article, we have also discussed the current status and the incurring challenges in phage therapy.     

Ambivalent bacteriophages of different species active on Escherichia coli K12 and Salmonella sps. strains

A study was made of several bacteriophages (including phages U2 and LB related to T-even phages of Escherichia coli) that grow both on E. coli K12 and on some Salmonella strains. Such phages were termed ambivalent. T-even ambivalent phages (U2 and LB) are rare and have a limited number of hosts among Salmonella strains. U2 and LB are similar to canonical E. coli-specific T-even phages in morphological type and size of the phage particle and in reaction with specific anti-T4 serum. Phages U2 and LB have identical sets of structural proteins, some of which are similar in size to structural proteins of phages T2 and T4. DNA restriction patterns of phages U2 and LB differ from each other and from those of T2 and T4. Still, DNAs of all four phages have considerable homology. Unexpectedly, phages U2 and LB grown on Salmonella bungori were unstable during centrifugation in a CsCl gradient. Ambivalent bacteriophages were found in species other than T-even phages and were similar in morphotype to lambdoid and other E. coli phages. One of the ambivalent phages was highly similar to well-known Felix01, which is specific for Salmonella. Ambivalent phages can be used to develop a new set for phage typing in Salmonella. An obvious advantage is that ambivalent phages can be reproduced in the E. coli K12 laboratory strain, which does not produce active temperate phages. Consequently, the resulting typing phage preparation is devoid of an admixture of temperate phages, which are common in Salmonella. The presence of temperate phages in phage-typing preparations may cause false-positive results in identifying specific Salmonella strains isolated from the environment or salmonellosis patients. Ambivalent phages are potentially useful for phage therapy and prevention of salmonellosis in humans and animals.     

Bacteriophages and its applications: an overview

Bacteriophages (or phages), the most abundant viral entity of the planet, are omni-present in all the ecosystems. On the basis of their unique characteristics and anti-bacterial property, phages are being freshly evaluated taxonomically. Phages replicate inside the host either by lytic or lysogenic mode after infecting and using the cellular machinery of a bacterium. Since their discovery by Twort and d’Herelle in the early 1900s, phage became an important agent for combating pathogenic bacteria in clinical treatments and its related research gained momentum. However, due to recent emergence of bacterial resistance on antibiotics, applications of phage (phage therapy) become an inevitable option of research. Phage particles become popular as a biotechnological tool and treatment of pathogenic bacteria in a range of applied areas. However, there are few concerns over the application of phage-based solutions. This review deals with the updated phage taxonomy (ICTV 2015 Release and subsequent revision) and phage biology and the recent development of its application in the areas of biotechnology, biosensor, therapeutic medicine, food preservation, aquaculture diseases, pollution remediation, and wastewater treatment and issues related with limitations of phage-based remedy.     

Synonymous codon usage in forty staphylococcal phages identifies the factors controlling codon usage variation and the phages suitable for phage therapy

The immergence and dissemination of multidrug-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus in recent years have expedited the research on the discovery of novel anti-staphylococcal agents promptly. Bacteriophages have long been showing tremendous potentialities in curing the infections caused by various pathogenic bacteria including S. aureus. Thus far, only a few virulent bacteriophages, which do not carry any toxin-encoding gene but are capable of eradicating staphylococcal infections, were reported. Based on the codon usage analysis of sixteen S. aureus phages, previously three phages were suggested to be useful as the anti-staphylococcal agents. To search for additional S. aureus phages suitable for phage therapy, relative synonymous codon usage bias has been investigated in the protein-coding genes of forty new staphylococcal phages. All phages appeared to carry A and T ending codons. Several factors such as mutational pressure, translational selection and gene length seemed to be responsible for the codon usage variation in the phages. Codon usage indeed varied phage to phage. Of the phages, phages G1, Twort, 66 and Sap-2 may be extremely lytic in nature as majority of their genes possess high translational efficiency, indicating that these phages may be employed in curing staphylococcal infections.