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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 30, 2026

Bacteriophage Removal from Infected Salmonella Cultures

Bacteriophage Removal from Infected Salmonella Cultures

Published on: June 28, 2024

Bacteriophage lysins as effective antibacterials.

Vincent A Fischetti¹

¹Laboratory of Bacterial Pathogenesis, Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10021, USA. vaf@rockefeller.edu

Current Opinion in Microbiology

|October 1, 2008

Summary

Bacteriophage lysins are enzymes that rapidly kill Gram-positive bacteria. These highly specific agents offer a promising alternative to antibiotics for combating antibiotic-resistant pathogens.

Area of Science:

Microbiology
Biotechnology
Enzymology

Background:

Bacteriophage lysins are enzymes essential for releasing phage progeny from bacterial cells.
Lysins degrade the bacterial cell wall, leading to rapid bacterial lysis.
Antibiotic resistance is a growing global health concern, necessitating novel antimicrobial strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

To evaluate the potential of bacteriophage lysins as a novel antimicrobial agent.
To highlight the advantages of lysins over traditional antibiotics, particularly in combating resistant bacteria.

Main Methods:

Purified recombinant lysins were applied externally to Gram-positive bacteria.
The efficacy of lysins was assessed in various animal models against pathogenic bacteria.

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Bacterial susceptibility and resistance development were evaluated.

Main Results:

External application of small quantities of recombinant lysins induced immediate bacterial lysis and log-fold death.
Lysins demonstrated success in animal models for controlling antibiotic-resistant bacteria on mucosal surfaces and infected tissues.
Lysins exhibit pathogen specificity, preserving beneficial normal flora, and have a low probability of inducing bacterial resistance.

Conclusions:

Bacteriophage lysins represent a potent and specific antimicrobial agent against Gram-positive bacteria.
Their unique mechanism of action and favorable resistance profile make them a valuable alternative to conventional antibiotics.
Lysins offer a promising solution for treating infections caused by antibiotic-resistant pathogens, especially on mucosal surfaces.