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Mycobacteriophages as Genomic Engineers and Anti-infective Weapons

Mark R Sullivan1, Eric J Rubin1,2, Charles L Dulberger3,4

  • 1Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

Mbio
|May 19, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Mycobacteriophages offer a promising alternative to antibiotics for treating Mycobacterium abscessus (Mab) infections. These studies reveal factors influencing Mab

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Genetics
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Mycobacterium abscessus (Mab) is a resilient pathogen with limited treatment options.
  • Current antibiotic therapies for Mab have high failure rates.
  • Mycobacteriophages are potential alternatives with fewer side effects.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the natural phage complement of Mab.
  • To identify factors determining Mab susceptibility to phages.
  • To advance phage therapy development for Mab infections.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of natural phage-bacterial interactions.
  • Identification of genetic determinants of phage susceptibility.
  • Comparative genomics of mycobacteriophages and Mab.

Main Results:

  • Characterization of a diverse repertoire of phages infecting Mab.
  • Discovery of key factors influencing Mab phage susceptibility.
  • Establishment of a foundation for understanding phage-Mab interactions.

Conclusions:

  • Phage therapy holds significant promise for treating Mab infections.
  • Understanding phage-Mab interactions is crucial for therapeutic development.
  • Mobile genetic elements like phages and plasmids impact Mab evolution.
Keywords:
Mycobacterium abscessusbacterial geneticsbacteriophage geneticsbacteriophage therapymolecular geneticsphage susceptibility

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