Novel Acinetobacter baumannii Bacteriophage Aristophanes Encoding Structural Polysaccharide Deacetylase

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Updated: Oct 18, 2025

The Application of Open Searching-based Approaches for the Identification of Acinetobacter baumannii O-linked Glycopeptides
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The Application of Open Searching-based Approaches for the Identification of Acinetobacter baumannii O-linked Glycopeptides

Published on: November 2, 2021

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Olga Yu Timoshina1,2, Mikhail M Shneider1, Peter V Evseev1

  • 1Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Miklukho-Maklaya 16/10, 117997 Moscow, Russia.

Viruses
|September 28, 2021
PubMed

Insights

A novel bacteriophage, Aristophanes, was discovered that targets drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii. This phage possesses a unique tailspike deacetylase enzyme, offering potential for new antimicrobial therapies against nosocomial infections.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Virology
  • Genomics

Background:

  • Acinetobacter baumannii is a critical nosocomial pathogen, frequently exhibiting extreme drug resistance.
  • Lytic bacteriophages and their enzymes are potential antimicrobial agents against multidrug-resistant bacteria.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize a novel virulent bacteriophage, Aristophanes, isolated against Acinetobacter baumannii.
  • To investigate its biological features, genomic organization, and host interaction mechanisms.

Main Methods:

  • Isolation and characterization of bacteriophage Aristophanes on Acinetobacter baumannii K26.
  • Genomic sequencing and phylogenetic analysis.
  • Identification of phage-encoded enzymes, specifically tailspike deacetylase.

Main Results:

  • Phage Aristophanes was identified as a novel virulent bacteriophage.
  • Phylogenetic analysis places Aristophanes within a new genus of the Autographiviridae family.
  • Aristophanes is the first reported Acinetobacter baumannii phage encoding a tailspike deacetylase, responsible for O-acetylation of K26 capsular polysaccharide.

Conclusions:

  • Phage Aristophanes represents a new genus within the Autographiviridae family.
  • The unique tailspike deacetylase activity of Aristophanes offers a novel mechanism for targeting Acinetobacter baumannii.
  • This discovery holds promise for developing phage-based therapies against difficult-to-treat Acinetobacter baumannii infections.
Keywords:
Acinetobacter baumanniibacteriophagecapsular polysaccharidecapsular typedeacetylase

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