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Flagellotropic Bacteriophages: Opportunities and Challenges for Antimicrobial Applications
Nathaniel C Esteves1, Birgit E Scharf1
1Virginia Tech Department of Biological Sciences, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences
|July 9, 2022
Summary
Flagellotropic phages infect bacteria using flagella. Their unique infection strategy may offer potent antibacterial solutions against antibiotic-resistant pathogens, revitalizing phage therapy research.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Virology
- Bacteriology
Background:
- Bacteriophages (phages) are viruses that infect bacteria and have diverse applications.
- Phage therapy is resurging as a treatment for antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
- Flagellotropic phages utilize bacterial flagella for infection, a process not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the current research on flagellotropic phages.
- To explore their molecular infection mechanisms.
- To discuss their potential applications in combating antibiotic resistance.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of flagellotropic phage research.
- Analysis of phage-host interactions involving bacterial flagella.
- Discussion of evolutionary trade-offs in bacterial motility and virulence.
Main Results:
- Flagellotropic phages offer a unique approach to targeting motile bacteria.
- Bacterial motility, crucial for virulence, can be a vulnerability to flagellotropic phage infection.
- Downregulating motility to evade phages may attenuate bacterial virulence.
Conclusions:
- Flagellotropic phages represent a promising avenue for novel antibacterial strategies.
- Their ability to compromise bacterial virulence alongside infection makes them potent therapeutic agents.
- Further research into flagellotropic phages is crucial for developing new treatments against resistant bacteria.
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