Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 3, 2025
11:33
Synthesis of Infectious Bacteriophages in an E. coli-based Cell-free Expression System
Published on: August 17, 2017
15.1K
Microencapsulation of Bacteriophages Using Membrane Emulsification in Different pH-Triggered Controlled Release
Kerry Richards1, Danish J Malik1
1Department of Chemical Engineering, Loughborough University, Loughborough LE11 3TU, UK.
Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)
|June 2, 2021
Summary
Bacteriophage E.coli capsules offer acid protection and controlled release for microbiome editing. This technology enables targeted delivery of therapeutic phages to specific intestinal regions.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Materials Science
- Microbiology
Background:
- Bacteriophages (phages) are viruses that infect bacteria, offering a potential therapeutic alternative to antibiotics.
- Effective delivery of phages to specific sites within the gastrointestinal tract remains a challenge.
- pH-responsive delivery systems can enable targeted release of therapeutic agents in different intestinal compartments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and evaluate pH-responsive microcapsules for the encapsulation and delivery of an Escherichia coli-specific phage.
- To assess the acid protection, controlled release kinetics, and stability of phage-loaded microcapsules.
- To determine the suitability of these microcapsules for preclinical oral gavage delivery.
Main Methods:
- Membrane emulsification was used to encapsulate an E. coli-specific phage within three distinct pH-responsive polymer formulations.
- Microcapsule size was controlled at approximately 100 µm for ease of administration.
- Acid protection was tested at pH 1.5, and release profiles were evaluated at pH 5.5, pH 6, and pH 7.
Main Results:
- The fabricated microcapsules provided significant acid protection to the encapsulated phages at pH 1.5.
- Controlled release of phages was achieved at physiologically relevant pH values (5.5, 6, and 7), dependent on the polymer formulation.
- Factors influencing encapsulation yield, release kinetics, and stability were investigated.
Conclusions:
- pH-responsive polymer microcapsules are a viable strategy for protecting and delivering bacteriophages.
- The developed system allows for targeted, pH-triggered release of phages in the gastrointestinal tract.
- This technology holds promise for advancing microbiome editing and phage therapy applications.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Lytic Cycle of Bacteriophages
73.8K
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...
73.8K
01:26DNA Bacteriophages
343
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...
343
01:20Viral Replication: Lytic Cycle
604
Bacteriophages, or phages, are viruses that specifically infect bacteria. Among them, T-even bacteriophages, such as T4, exhibit a well-characterized lytic replication cycle in Escherichia coli (E. coli). This process ensures the rapid proliferation of the virus while ultimately leading to the destruction of the bacterial host.Attachment and DNA InjectionThe infection process begins with the recognition and binding of the T4 phage to the E. coli cell surface. Tail fibers of the phage...
604
00:43Lysogenic Cycle of Bacteriophages
64.7K
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...
64.7K
01:16Viral Replication: Lysogenic Cycle
592
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...
592