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Related Concept Videos

Lytic Cycle of Bacteriophages01:30

Lytic Cycle of Bacteriophages

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Bacteriophages, also known as phages, are specialized viruses that infect bacteria. A key characteristic of phages is their distinctive “head-tail” morphology. A phage begins the infection process (i.e., lytic cycle) by attaching to the outside of a bacterial cell. Attachment is accomplished via proteins in the phage tail that bind to specific receptor proteins on the outer surface of the bacterium. The tail injects the phage’s DNA genome into the bacterial cytoplasm. In the...
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Lysogenic Cycle of Bacteriophages00:43

Lysogenic Cycle of Bacteriophages

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In contrast to the lytic cycle, phages infecting bacteria via the lysogenic cycle do not immediately kill their host cell. Instead, they combine their genome with the host genome, allowing the bacteria to replicate the phage DNA along with the bacterial genome. The incorporated copy of the phage genome is called the prophage. Some prophages can re-activate and enter the lytic cycle. This often occurs in response to a perturbation, such as DNA damage, but can also transpire in the absence of...
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DNA Bacteriophages01:26

DNA Bacteriophages

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Bacteriophages, or phages, are viruses that specifically infect bacteria, utilizing their genetic material to hijack host cellular machinery for replication. DNA bacteriophages employ single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) or double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) genomes. These phages exhibit diverse replication strategies and host interactions, influencing their ecological roles and applications in biotechnology and medicine.ssDNA BacteriophagesssDNA phages, with their small genomes, utilize unique strategies to...
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Viral Replication: Lysogenic Cycle01:16

Viral Replication: Lysogenic Cycle

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The lysogenic cycle is a crucial viral replication strategy that allows bacteriophages to persist within host cells without immediately destroying them. This process is primarily observed in temperate phages, such as bacteriophage lambda (λ), which infects Escherichia coli. The cycle allows the viral genome to persist across bacterial generations while keeping host cells viable.Integration of the Viral GenomeUpon infection, bacteriophage lambda attaches to the bacterial surface and injects...
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Microorganisms in Medicine and Therapeutics01:29

Microorganisms in Medicine and Therapeutics

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Microorganisms play a fundamental role in vaccine development, gene therapy, and therapeutic production. Their biological properties are harnessed to advance medicine and public health. Beyond immunization, microorganisms contribute to gut health, antibiotic synthesis, and genetic disease treatment.Live Attenuated and Inactivated VaccinesLive attenuated vaccines, such as the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, utilize weakened forms of pathogens to closely resemble natural infections.
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Immune Surveillance by NK Cells and Phagocytes01:25

Immune Surveillance by NK Cells and Phagocytes

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Immune surveillance is an integral part of the innate immune system, involving the continuous monitoring of peripheral tissues to detect and respond to pathogens, infected cells, or cancerous cells. This surveillance is conducted primarily by natural killer (NK) cells and phagocytes, which employ distinct but complementary mechanisms to identify and eliminate threats.
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Translational Quantitative Proteomic Assay for Bacteriophages: A New Frontier in Phage Pharmaceutical Development.

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[Second day of the interdisciplinary group dedicated to phage therapy and biocontrol].

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Ecological partitioning enables phage-antibiotic cooperation in a human Pseudomonas infection.

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Pharmacodynamic individualization of phage therapy against a KPC-5-producing <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i>.

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Understanding the Impact of Temperate Bacteriophages on Their Lysogens Through Transcriptomics
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Understanding the Impact of Temperate Bacteriophages on Their Lysogens Through Transcriptomics

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Phage therapy: awakening a sleeping giant.

Dwayne R Roach1, Laurent Debarbieux1

  • 1Department of Microbiology, Institut Pasteur, Paris 75015, France.

Emerging Topics in Life Sciences
|February 2, 2021
PubMed
Summary

Bacteriophage therapy offers a promising alternative to antibiotics for combating antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Advances in synthetic biology are enabling the development of "designer phages" for novel clinical applications against bacterial infections.

Keywords:
antibiotic resistanceantibioticsbacteriophage

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Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Virology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Antibiotic resistance is a growing global health crisis, outpacing new drug development.
  • Bacteriophages (bacterial viruses) have a long history as natural antibacterial agents.
  • Phage therapy presents a potential clinical strategy to address infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review traditional and modern bacteriophage therapy approaches.
  • To discuss the role of synthetic biology in creating advanced phage treatments.
  • To examine challenges and host responses impacting phage therapy efficacy.

Main Methods:

  • Review of traditional phage therapy techniques.
  • Exploration of synthetic biology applications for phage engineering.
  • Analysis of host immune responses and bacterial resistance mechanisms.

Main Results:

  • Phage therapy is a viable alternative to antibiotics for bacterial infections.
  • Synthetic biology enables the creation of customized bacteriophages.
  • Key challenges include phage spectrum, safety, and bacterial resistance.

Conclusions:

  • Phage therapy requires a paradigm shift in development strategies.
  • Understanding host immune responses and bacterial resistance is crucial for effective phage therapy.
  • Further research is needed to overcome current limitations and optimize phage-based treatments.