Complete Genome Sequence of Klebsiella pneumoniae Myophage May

Katherine T Nguyen1, Rachele Bonasera1, Garret Benson1

  • 1Center for Phage Technology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA.

Insights

A new bacteriophage, named May, has been discovered that targets multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae. This finding offers potential new strategies for combating antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Virology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae poses a significant threat to human health due to antibiotic resistance.
  • Bacteriophages (phages) are viruses that infect bacteria and are being explored as alternatives to antibiotics.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To report the isolation and characterization of a novel myophage, designated May.
  • To investigate the potential of phage May in targeting multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae strains.

Main Methods:

  • Isolation and identification of a novel bacteriophage.
  • Genomic analysis of the isolated phage.
  • Testing the efficacy of the phage against multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Main Results:

  • Phage May was successfully isolated and identified as a myophage.
  • The genome of phage May shows similarity to that of phage Vi01.
  • Phage May demonstrates infectivity against multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae strains.

Conclusions:

  • Phage May represents a promising candidate for therapeutic applications against antibiotic-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae infections.
  • Further research into phage May's properties and efficacy is warranted for clinical development.

Related Concept Videos

Genomics02:02

Genomics

Genomics is the science of genomes: it is the study of all the genetic material of an organism. In humans, the genome consists of information carried in 23 pairs of chromosomes in the nucleus, as well as mitochondrial DNA. In genomics, both coding and non-coding DNA is sequenced and analyzed. Genomics allows a better understanding of all living things, their evolution, and their diversity. It has a myriad of uses: for example, to build phylogenetic trees, to improve productivity and...
39.9K
Genomic Imprinting and Inheritance02:30

Genomic Imprinting and Inheritance

Diploid organisms inherit genetic material through chromosomes from both parents. Copies of the same gene are known as alleles. In most cases, both alleles are simultaneously expressed and allow various cellular processes to function optimally. If one of the alleles is missing or mutated, the expression of the other allele can compensate; however, this is not true for all genes.
The expression of some genes depends on which parent passed the gene to the offspring, through a phenomenon known as...
36.9K
Pneumonia I: Introduction01:30

Pneumonia I: Introduction

Pneumonia is an acute respiratory infection that targets the lungs, specifically the alveoli. These tiny air sacs, essential for oxygen exchange, become engorged with pus and fluid, severely hindering breathing, decreasing oxygen absorption, and causing significant pain and discomfort during respiration.
Risk Factors
Various factors influence the likelihood of developing pneumonia. Age plays a crucial role, with infants, children under two, and individuals over 65 at increased risk due to their...
813
Pneumonia II: Pathophysiology01:29

Pneumonia II: Pathophysiology

The pathophysiology of pneumonia involves the following steps:
2.8K
Genome Size and the Evolution of New Genes03:21

Genome Size and the Evolution of New Genes

While every living organism has a genome of some kind (be it RNA, or DNA), there is considerable variation in the sizes of these blueprints. One major factor that impacts genome size is whether the organism is prokaryotic or eukaryotic. In prokaryotes, the genome contains little to no non-coding sequence, such that genes are tightly clustered in groups or operons sequentially along the chromosome. Conversely, the genes in eukaryotes are punctuated by long stretches of non-coding sequence.
9.0K
Cis-regulatory Sequences02:02

Cis-regulatory Sequences

Cis-regulatory sequences are short fragments of non-coding DNA that are present on the same chromosomes as the genes that they regulate. These fragments serve as binding sites for transcriptional regulators, proteins that are responsible for controlling gene transcription and differential gene expression across cell types in eukaryotes. Cis-regulatory sequences can be close to the gene of interest or thousands of bases away in the DNA sequence; however, those sequences that are further away are...
11.6K