Influence of O Side Chains on the Attachment of the Felix O-1 Bacteriophage to Salmonella Bacteria

The adsorption rate constant (ARC) of the Felix O-1 (FO) bacteriophage to sensitive Salmonella strains was used to determine the effect of variations in surface antigens on phage attachment. The N-acetylglucosamine of the common-core polysaccharide of the Salmonella lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was found to be an essential part of the receptor for the FO phage in conformation with earlier reports. It was found that (i) the ARC was low for strains having O side chains containing two or three non core monosaccharides, (ii) the ARC varied when the O side chain contained no, or only one, noncore monosaccharide, (iii) the ARC was high when the O side chain contained only one repeating unit, and (iv) the ARC was high to mutants of chemotype Ra in which the N-acetylglucosamine was the terminal sugar of the LPS. Since a good correlation was found between the ARC of the FO phage and the phage-inactivating capacity of phenol water-extracted LPS, the results suggest that only the structure and composition of the LPS determines the adsorption rate of the FO phage. The phage-inactivating capacity of LPS from the Ra mutants increased in parallel with higher glucosamine contents in the core polysaccharide. In smooth strains having long and numerous O side chains, the access of the FO phage to its receptor is probably blocked by the presence of the side chains, whereas short and numerous side chains or T1 side chains do not interfere with the FO attachment.     

Transduction with Integration-Defective Mutants of Salmonella typhimurium Bacteriophage KB1

Phage KB1 has gained use as a generalized transducing phage for Salmonella typhimurium, including strains resistant to phage P22. Integration-defective mutants of KB1 have now been isolated; one of these, int-1, is recommended for transduction when nonlysogenic recombinants are desired.     

Bacteriophage typing of Salmonella weltevreden

Salmonella weltevreden has been found to be one of the commonest Salmonella serotypes isolated from diverse sources in India and has also been isolated in a number of other countries. A phage typing scheme was developed for this serotype using a set of six typing phages. These phages had been selected out of 146 phage strains isolated and purified from stool samples of man, laboratory animals and other animals, sewage and surface water sources, and the lytic mutants of temperate phages from S. weltevreden.The phage typing scheme was applied systematically to type the 946 strains from India isolated during 1958–1974 and 148 strains originating from Australia, Burma, England, Gan Island, Holland, Hong Kong, Malaysia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, The Philippines, Thailand, The United States and Vietnam during 1953–1971. The scheme was particularly studied to evaluate its utility in mapping the epidemiologically related strains from various sources.The S. weltevreden strains could be classified into ten phage types. Phage types 2 and 7 were found exclusively amongst Indian strains, type 6 from Vietnam and type 8 from Burma, Thailand and Vietnam. Phage types were found to be stable and consistent with the independent epidemiological data available.     

Identification and Characterization of the Single-Stranded DNA-Binding Protein of Bacteriophage P1

The genome of bacteriophage P1 harbors a gene coding for a 162-amino-acid protein which shows 66% amino acid sequence identity to the Escherichia coli single-stranded DNA-binding protein (SSB). The expression of the P1 gene is tightly regulated by P1 immunity proteins. It is completely repressed during lysogenic growth and only weakly expressed during lytic growth, as assayed by an ssb-P1/lacZ fusion construct. When cloned on an intermediate-copy-number plasmid, the P1 gene is able to suppress the temperature-sensitive defect of an E. coli ssb mutant, indicating that the two proteins are functionally interchangeable. Many bacteriophages and conjugative plasmids do not rely on the SSB protein provided by their host organism but code for their own SSB proteins. However, the close relationship between SSB-P1 and the SSB protein of the P1 host, E. coli, raises questions about the functional significance of the phage protein.     

Bacteriophage P1 as a vehicle for Mu mutagenesis of Salmonella typhimurium.

We developed a procedure using bacteriophage P1 as a vector for transferring Mu phage deoxyribonucleic acid into Salmonella typhimurium. Mu phage transferred in this manner yielded lysogenic auxotrophs, and we demonstrated that specific deletions and lac gene fusions can be selected.     

Bacteriophage types represented by lactose-fermenting Salmonella agona strains

Bacteriophage typing was performed on 1911 S. agona, lactose-fermenting strains. These strains were isolated from hospitalised newborns and neonates patients. Out of 1911 strains 98.8% were typable by means of phage set prepared for strains differentiation of Salmonella agona showing typical biochemical properties. It was shown that in 16 provinces from which the strains were obtained in 1983-1985 type V (49.5%) and type XI (25.4%) prevailed. Subtypes VA and VB were distinguished within type V. Altogether 20.3% of strains were classified as belonging to these subtypes. Their lytic reaction was weaker with phages 3, 4, and 9 with the characteristic range of phage type V strains. Among tested strains types I, XIII, and XVI were also represented composing 2, 6, 0, 9, and 0.3% of total number of strains respectively. 1.5% of strains were nontypable and 0.2% showed lytic reactions different from that included in up to now used scheme of typing. It can be concluded that lactose-fermenting S. agona strains show susceptibility to lowered number of phages than typical for Salmonella species strains. It seems that differentiation of this atypical biochemical variant of S. agona with, the use of phage set used up to now may be also usefull in practice as it is the case in respect to strains with typical biochemical properties.     

Complete Genome Sequence of Salmonella Bacteriophage SS3e

A Salmonella lytic bacteriophage, SS3e, was isolated, and its genome was sequenced completely. This phage is able to lyse not only various Salmonella serovars but also Escherichia coli, Shigella sonnei, Enterobacter cloacae, and Serratia marcescens, indicating a broad host specificity. Genomic sequence analysis of SS3e revealed a linear double-stranded DNA sequence of 40,793 bp harboring 58 open reading frames, which is highly similar to Salmonella phages SETP13 and MB78.     

Bacteriophage Therapy To Reduce Salmonella Colonization of Broiler Chickens

Acute enteric infections caused by salmonellas remain a major public health burden worldwide. Poultry, particularly chickens, are known to be the main reservoir for this zoonotic pathogen. Although some progress has been made in reducing Salmonella colonization of broiler chickens by using biosecurity and antimicrobials, it still remains a considerable problem. The use of host-specific bacteriophages as a biocontrol is one possible intervention by which Salmonella colonization could be reduced. A total of 232 Salmonella bacteriophages were isolated from poultry farms, abattoirs, and wastewater in 2004 and 2005. Three phages exhibiting the broadest host ranges against Salmonella enterica serotypes Enteritidis, Hadar, and Typhimurium were characterized further by determining their morphology and lytic activity in vitro. These phages were then administered in antacid suspension to birds experimentally colonized with specific Salmonella host strains. The first phage reduced S. enterica serotype Enteritidis cecal colonization by ≥4.2 log₁₀ CFU within 24 h compared with controls. Administration of the second phage reduced S. enterica serotype Typhimurium by ≥2.19 log₁₀ CFU within 24 h. The third bacteriophage was ineffective at reducing S. enterica serotype Hadar colonization. Bacteriophage resistance occurred at a frequency commensurate with the titer of phage being administered, with larger phage titers resulting in a greater proportion of resistant salmonellas. The selection of appropriate bacteriophages and optimization of both the timing and method of phage delivery are key factors in the successful phage-mediated control of salmonellas in broiler chickens.     

Rapid Detection of Salmonella spp. by Using Felix-O1 Bacteriophage and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography

A method is described whereby the presence of Salmonella spp. can be detected within 8 to 24 h of sample collection. The method depends upon the interaction of Salmonella spp. with the Salmonella-specific Felix-O1 bacteriophage. This interaction results in an increase in concentration of the bacteriophage which is detected by high-performance liquid chromatographic techniques.     

Multiplication of Bacteriophage P22 in Penicillin-Induced Spheroplasts of Salmonella typhimurium

The spheroplasts of Salmonella typhimurium (LT2) prepared by treatment with penicillin were capable of adsorbing phage P22 C(1). The normal multiplication of the phage took place, although the burst size was reduced to one-fourth of that in intact cells. Rate of incorporation of (14)C-thymidine into spheroplasts was increased severalfold on phage infection. Multiplication of C(+) also took place, but no lysogeny could be established in spheroplasts. Furthermore, spheroplasts prepared from cells lysogenized with wild-type phage, LT2 (C(+)), and a temperature-inducible C(2) mutant, LT2(tsC(2)), were not inducible. Unlike normal cells, both mitomycin C and actinomycin D interfered with the phage multiplication in spheroplasts. The spheroplast system offers great advantages in the study of the synthesis of nucleic acids and proteins in phage-infected LT2.     

Bacteriophage Typing of Salmonella typhimurium by Use of a Mechanized Technique

A new mechanized technique for the application of drops of phages on agar plates is described. Drops of equal size are delivered by needles with the aid of filtered pressurized air. The part of the device which is in contact with phage is interchangeable as a whole.     

Identification of the Repressor-Encoding Gene of the Lactobacillus Bacteriophage A2

The repressor gene of the Lactobacillus phage A2 has the following properties: it (i) encodes a 224-residue polypeptide with DNA binding and RecA cleavage motifs, (ii) is expressed in lysogenic cultures, and (iii) confers superinfection immunity on the host. Adjacent, but divergently transcribed, lies another open reading frame whose product resembles the λ Cro protein. In the 161-bp intergenic segment, putative promoters and operators have been detected.     

一株新的沙门菌烈性噬菌体IME-SAL1的分离、全基因组测序和比较基因组分析

目的:分离鉴定一株沙门菌的烈性噬菌体,观察其形态大小,完成全基因组测序,分析其基因组结构和进化关系,为治疗沙门菌感染提供新的策略和实验依据。方法:以沙门菌SAL95作为指示菌从医院废水中分离噬菌体,分离到的噬菌体经浓缩和纯化后采用透射电镜观察其形态大小,提取噬菌体的基因核酸并完成全基因组高通量测序,分析其全基因组的结构特征,通过比较基因组分析研究其进化关系。结果:从解放军307医院未经消毒处理的废水中分离到一株烈性沙门菌噬菌体。电镜观察显示,该噬菌体头部呈立体对称,有一不收缩的长尾。其基因组全长113 183 bp,比较基因组分析确定该噬菌体为一株新的沙门菌噬菌体,命名为IME-SAL1。结论:从医院废水中分离到一株烈性沙门菌噬菌体IME-SAL1,研究了该噬菌体的分类、基因组结构、进化关系,可为其实际应用提供参考。     

Identification of a Ligand on the Wip1 Bacteriophage Highly Specific for a Receptor on Bacillus anthracis

Tectiviridae is a family of tailless bacteriophages with Gram-negative and Gram-positive hosts. The family model PRD1 and its close relatives all infect a broad range of enterobacteria by recognizing a plasmid-encoded conjugal transfer complex as a receptor. In contrast, tectiviruses with Gram-positive hosts are highly specific to only a few hosts within the same bacterial species. The cellular determinants that account for the observed specificity remain unknown. Here we present the genome sequence of Wip1, a tectivirus that infects the pathogen Bacillus anthracis. The Wip1 genome is related to other tectiviruses with Gram-positive hosts, notably, AP50, but displays some interesting differences in its genome organization. We identified Wip1 candidate genes for the viral spike complex, the structure located at the capsid vertices and involved in host receptor binding. Phage adsorption and inhibition tests were combined with immunofluorescence microscopy to show that the Wip1 gene product p23 is a receptor binding protein. His-p23 also formed a stable complex with p24, a Wip1 protein of unknown function, suggesting that the latter is involved with p23 in host cell recognition. The narrow host range of phage Wip1 and the identification of p23 as a receptor binding protein offer a new range of suitable tools for the rapid identification of B. anthracis.     

PaP3噬菌体57kD蛋白编码基因的确定

分离鉴定了PaP3噬菌体57 kD蛋白的编码基因并对其功能进行了初步探讨。用PEG沉淀结合CsCl梯度密度离心分离、纯化噬菌体颗粒,通过SDSPAGE分析该噬菌体的衣壳蛋白,转印PVDF膜后,对57 kD蛋白用Edman降解法进行N端氨基酸测序,进而从PaP3全基因组的256个ORFs中确认该蛋白质的编码基因及其对应的氨基酸序列。结果显示噬菌体PaP3有9种结构蛋白分子,其中57 kD蛋白是由ORF34793编码的。57kD蛋白编码基因全长1542bp,G+C百分含量为49.16%,编码514个氨基酸。该蛋白分子量为57.4kD,等电点为5.879。实验表明该蛋白是一种结构性蛋白,很可能是噬菌体衣壳蛋白中的一种壳微粒。     

Abortive Transduction of Resistance Factor by Bacteriophage P22 in Salmonella typhimurium

When R factor 222 is transduced by bacteriophage P22 in Salmonella typhimurium, most recipient bacteria which adsorb transducing particles do not give rise to transductant clones (i.e., transduction is abortive); however the transduced drug-resistance genes can be rescued by recombination with the resistance-transfer factor or R factor carried by the recipient.