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Microencapsulation of a Staphylococcus phage for concentration and long-term storage
Lynn El Haddad1, Marie-Josée Lemay2, Georges E Khalil3
1Département de Biochimie et de Microbiologie, Faculté des Sciences et de Génie, Groupe de Recherche en écologie Buccale, Faculté de Médecine Dentaire, Félix d'Hérelle Reference Center for Bacterial Viruses, Université Laval, Québec, G1V 0A6, Canada.
Food Microbiology
|September 1, 2018
Summary
Microencapsulation (ME) concentrates staphylococcal bacteriophages in alginate beads, increasing phage titers. While ME enhances storage stability at 4°C, it does not improve phage survival during freezing or freeze-drying.
Area of Science:
- Food Safety
- Microbiology
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Virulent phages are explored as antibacterial agents to mitigate food safety risks from foodborne pathogens.
- Staphylococcal bacteriophages are a target for controlling such pathogens.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess microencapsulation (ME) as a method for concentrating and storing staphylococcal bacteriophages.
- To evaluate the impact of ME on phage stability under various storage conditions.
Main Methods:
- Phage Team1 (Myoviridae family) was microencapsulated into alginate gel particles (micro-beads and macro-beads).
- Alginate droplet shrinkage during hardening in CaCl2 solution was measured.
- Phage titers, encapsulation yield, and stability during freezing, freeze-drying, and cold storage (4°C) were analyzed.
Main Results:
- Gel contraction led to increased phage titers per gram of alginate gel (2x for micro-beads, 6x for macro-beads).
- Macro-beads exhibited a higher encapsulation yield.
- Microencapsulation improved phage stability during three months of storage at 4°C.
- ME did not enhance phage stability for freeze-drying; glycerol protected microencapsulated phages during freezing but not free phages.
Conclusions:
- Microencapsulation is an effective technique for concentrating staphylococcal bacteriophages.
- ME improves the storage stability of phages at refrigeration temperatures.
- Further optimization is needed to enhance phage stability during freezing and freeze-drying processes.
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