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Human-specific phages infecting Enterococcus host strain MW47: are they reliable microbial source tracking markers?

S E Purnell1, J E Ebdon1, H Wilkins1

  • 1Environment and Public Health Research Group, Centre for Aquatic Environments, School of Environment and Technology, University of Brighton, Brighton, UK.

Journal of Applied Microbiology
|January 20, 2018
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Human-specific phages infecting Enterococcus faecium were studied for their morphology and survival. Different phage families showed varied environmental persistence, impacting their use as microbial source tracking (MST) markers.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Environmental Science
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Enterococcus faecium is an important indicator species in environmental microbiology.
  • Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria and can serve as potential microbial source tracking (MST) markers.
  • Human-specific phages offer a promising avenue for identifying sources of fecal contamination.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the morphological diversity of human-specific phages targeting Enterococcus faecium strain MW47.
  • To assess the environmental survival and persistence of these phages.
  • To evaluate their suitability as microbial source tracking (MST) tools.

Main Methods:

  • Propagation and isolation of twenty phages infecting Enterococcus faecium MW47.
  • Morphological characterization using transmission electron microscopy (TEM).
  • In situ inactivation experiments to determine phage environmental persistence.

Main Results:

  • A heterogeneous group of phages infecting MW47 was identified, with three distinct morphologies from the Myoviridae and Siphoviridae families observed.
  • Phages exhibited varied rates of environmental inactivation.
  • A statistically significant correlation was found between phage morphology and inactivation rate.

Conclusions:

  • Myoviridae phages showed more rapid inactivation than Siphoviridae phages.
  • Enterococcus faecium MW47 phages are potentially valuable MST tools, but their varied persistence necessitates cautious application.
  • Further elucidation of ecological characteristics is crucial before widespread use of these phages as MST markers.
Keywords:
EnterococcusTEMbacteriophagesdiversityinactivationmarkersmicrobial source trackingviruses

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