Phages and their potential to modulate the microbiome and immunity

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Virology
• Immunology

Background:

• Bacteriophages (phages) are viruses targeting bacteria, with potential for treating antibiotic-resistant infections.
• Decades of research have limited understanding of phage-bacteria-host molecular interactions, hindering therapeutic applications.
• Next-generation sequencing advances are revealing novel phage lytic and lysogenic mechanisms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent advances in phage biology and phage-bacteria-host interactions.
• To explore the potential of phages as targeted modulators of the human microbiome.
• To discuss challenges and solutions for developing phage-based therapeutics.

Main Methods:

• Review of current literature on phage biology and therapeutic applications.
• Analysis of next-generation sequencing data for understanding phage mechanisms.
• Discussion of phage-bacteria-host interaction studies.

Main Results:

• Phages offer a vast antibacterial repertoire and ease of manipulation for targeted microbiome modulation.
• Mechanistic understanding of phage-bacteria-host interactions is advancing rapidly.
• Phages can potentially impact mammalian physiology and immunity, especially at mucosal surfaces.

Conclusions:

• Phage-based therapeutics hold significant promise for treating infectious and noncommunicable diseases.
• Further research into phage biology and interactions is crucial for realizing their therapeutic potential.
• Phages can be developed as specific modulators of the human microbiome for health and disease management.