Isolation and characterization of a lytic bacteriophage against Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Virology
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria, particularly Pseudomonas aeruginosa, pose a significant global health threat.
• Bacteriophage therapy is emerging as a promising alternative to antibiotics for combating MDR infections.

Purpose of the Study:

• To isolate and characterize a novel bacteriophage with lytic activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
• To evaluate the potential of this bacteriophage for therapeutic and decontamination applications.

Main Methods:

• Isolation of bacteriophage DRL-P1 from wastewater.
• Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) for morphology.
• Characterization of adsorption, latency, burst size, and stability (temperature, pH).
• Genomic analysis and annotation.
• In vitro decontamination assays.

Main Results:

• Isolation of a Myoviridae family bacteriophage, DRL-P1, with high lytic activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
• DRL-P1 exhibits rapid adsorption, short latency, and a large burst size.
• The phage is stable across a wide range of temperatures (4-40°C) and pH (5.0-10.0).
• The 66,243 bp genome contains 93 ORFs; no toxin or antibiotic resistance genes were identified.
• DRL-P1 demonstrated stability after 18 months of storage and in vitro decontamination potential.

Conclusions:

• Pseudomonasphage DRL-P1 is a robust and highly lytic phage with potential for therapeutic use against MDR Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
• Its stability and lack of undesirable genes make it a strong candidate for phage therapy and decontamination strategies.
• This is the first reported Pbunavirus from India, expanding the known diversity of phages for potential applications.