Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 9, 2026

T4 Bacteriophage and E. coli Interaction in the Murine Intestine: A Prototypical Model for Studying Host-Bacteriophage Dynamics In Vivo
08:46

T4 Bacteriophage and E. coli Interaction in the Murine Intestine: A Prototypical Model for Studying Host-Bacteriophage Dynamics In Vivo

Published on: January 26, 2024

Isolation and characterization of a novel Enterococcus faecalis bacteriophage phiEF24C as a therapeutic candidate

Jumpei Uchiyama, Mohammad Rashel, Yoshihiro Maeda

    FEMS Microbiology Letters
    |December 22, 2007
    PubMed

    Insights

    Bacteriophage phiEF24C shows promise as a novel therapy against Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis (VRE) infections. This virulent phage effectively lyses VRE strains, offering a potential alternative to antibiotics.

    Area of Science:

    • Microbiology
    • Virology
    • Infectious Diseases

    Background:

    • Nosocomial infections caused by Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis (VRE) are a growing public health concern.
    • Bacteriophage (phage) therapy is being explored as a viable alternative to conventional antibiotics for treating VRE infections.

    Discussion:

    • Phage phiEF24C, isolated from the environment, demonstrated broad host range and effective lytic activity against diverse Enterococcus faecalis strains, including VRE.
    • phiEF24C exhibits a shorter latent period and larger burst size compared to typical tailed phages, indicating potent lytic capabilities.
    • Morphological and genomic analyses classify phiEF24C as a large myovirus (Myoviridae, morphotype A1) with a 143 kbp double-stranded DNA genome.

    Key Insights:

    • The plaque-forming ability of phiEF24C is largely independent of Enterococcus faecalis clinical host strain variations.
    • phiEF24C's characteristics suggest a close evolutionary relationship with other therapeutic myoviruses targeting Gram-positive bacteria.
    • The phage's efficient lytic activity and broad host range make it a strong candidate for VRE infection treatment.

    Outlook:

    • Further research into phiEF24C's efficacy and safety profile is warranted for its clinical application.
    • phiEF24C represents a promising phage candidate for developing novel therapeutic strategies against VRE infections.
    • The study highlights the potential of environmental phage isolation for discovering new antimicrobial agents.

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