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Bacteriophages of the Urinary Microbiome
Taylor Miller-Ensminger1, Andrea Garretto1, Jonathon Brenner2
1Bioinformatics Program, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Journal of Bacteriology
|January 31, 2018
Summary
Bacteriophages, or phages, are abundant in the human bladder, with most being novel species. Their presence and variation may influence urinary health, similar to gut phages.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Virology
- Genomics
Background:
- Bacteriophages (phages) are crucial in microbial dynamics, with known roles in gut health.
- The urinary tract's phage population remains largely uncharacterized.
- Previous surveys missed lysogenic phages within bladder bacteria.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the lysogenic phage population in the female urinary microbiota.
- To investigate the diversity and novelty of urinary phages.
- To explore the potential link between urinary phages and urinary health.
Main Methods:
- Examined 181 bacterial genomes from the female urinary microbiota.
- Bioinformatically identified and analyzed 457 phage sequences.
- Cultivated viable phages from bacterial isolates for laboratory characterization.
Main Results:
- Phages were prevalent, found in 86% of analyzed genomes.
- Identified 226 high-confidence phage sequences, mostly novel with no public homology.
- Observed variations in phage populations between healthy individuals and those with urinary symptoms.
Conclusions:
- The urinary virome harbors a diverse and largely uncharacterized phage population.
- Phages may play a significant role in urinary tract health and disease.
- This study provides the first comprehensive survey of lysogenic phages in the urinary microbiota.
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