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Lytic bacteriophage PM16 specific for Proteus mirabilis: a novel member of the genus Phikmvvirus

V Morozova1, Yu Kozlova2, E Shedko2

  • 1Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine, Lavrentieva Ave., 8, Novosibirsk, Russia. morozova@niboch.nsc.ru.

Archives of Virology
|June 29, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Proteus phage PM16, a novel virus targeting Proteus mirabilis, exhibits high stability and infectivity. Resistance to this phage in bacteria is linked to a loss of flagella and non-swarming behavior.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Virology
  • Bacteriology

Background:

  • Proteus mirabilis is a Gram-negative bacterium implicated in various infections.
  • Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria and are being explored as therapeutic agents.
  • Understanding phage-host interactions is crucial for phage therapy development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize the lytic Proteus phage PM16.
  • To investigate the interaction between phage PM16 and Proteus mirabilis.
  • To elucidate the mechanisms of phage resistance in P. mirabilis.

Main Methods:

  • Isolation and characterization of Proteus phage PM16 from human faeces.
  • Genomic and proteomic analysis for phage classification.
  • Phage-cell interaction assays, including attachment studies.
  • Analysis of phage-resistant P. mirabilis mutants.

Main Results:

  • Phage PM16 is a novel, stable lytic virus specific for P. mirabilis, belonging to the Phikmvvirus genus.
  • Phage PM16 attaches to the bacterial cell surface, not flagella.
  • P. mirabilis mutants resistant to phage PM16 exhibited a non-swarming phenotype, altered membrane characteristics, and lacked flagella.

Conclusions:

  • Phage PM16 is a promising candidate for targeting P. mirabilis infections.
  • Bacterial resistance to phage PM16 is associated with flagellar absence and a non-swarming phenotype, likely due to changes in membrane composition.

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