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Isolation and characterization of bacteriophages infecting Staphylococcus epidermidis

Diana Gutiérrez1, Beatriz Martínez, Ana Rodríguez

  • 1Instituto de Productos Lácteos de Asturias (IPLA-CSIC), Apdo. 85, 33300, Villaviciosa, Asturias, Spain.

Current Microbiology
|May 8, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Three novel bacteriophages infecting Staphylococcus epidermidis were isolated and characterized. Phage phi-IPLA5 demonstrated potent lytic activity against S. epidermidis, offering potential for phage therapy applications.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Virology
  • Bacteriophage Research

Background:

  • Staphylococcus epidermidis is an opportunistic pathogen, frequently associated with medical device infections.
  • Bacteriophages (phages) offer a potential alternative or adjunct to antibiotics for combating bacterial infections.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To isolate and characterize novel bacteriophages capable of infecting Staphylococcus epidermidis.
  • To evaluate the lytic potential and host range of isolated phages for therapeutic applications.

Main Methods:

  • Isolation of bacteriophages using mitomycin C induction.
  • Characterization by plaque morphology, electron microscopy, SDS-PAGE, DNA restriction, and host range analysis.
  • One-step growth curve analysis and viable count determination during infection.

Main Results:

  • Three distinct Siphoviridae family phages (vB_SepiS-phiIPLA5, vB_SepiS-phiIPLA6, vB_SepiS-phiIPLA7) were identified.
  • Phage phi-IPLA7 exhibited the broadest host range, infecting 21/65 S. epidermidis isolates.
  • Phage phi-IPLA5 displayed potent lytic activity, reducing S. epidermidis populations by 5.67 log units in 8 hours.

Conclusions:

  • The isolated bacteriophages, particularly phi-IPLA5, show promise as therapeutic agents against Staphylococcus epidermidis infections.
  • Further investigation into the polysaccharide depolymerase activity of phi-IPLA5 and phi-IPLA7 is warranted.
  • These phages represent valuable tools for understanding S. epidermidis-phage interactions and developing phage-based therapies.

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