Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 10, 2025
08:25
Phage-mediated Delivery of Targeted sRNA Constructs to Knock Down Gene Expression in E. coli
Published on: March 20, 2016
12.7K
Phage Engineering for Targeted Multidrug-Resistant Escherichia coli
Jiaoyang Song1, Zhengjie Liu1, Qing Zhang1
1Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250000, China.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences
|February 11, 2023
Summary
Researchers engineered bacteriophages to broaden their effectiveness against bacterial infections. Using gene-editing technology, they modified phage tail fibers to target multidrug-resistant bacteria, enhancing their therapeutic potential.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Molecular Biology
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Lytic bacteriophages show promise for treating bacterial infections.
- Their clinical utility is limited by a narrow host spectrum.
- Developing broad-spectrum phages is crucial for effective antibacterial therapies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To engineer bacteriophages with an expanded host range using gene-editing technology.
- To create polyvalent phages capable of targeting multidrug-resistant *Escherichia coli*.
- To investigate phage-host interactions and develop novel antibacterial strategies.
Main Methods:
- Utilized scarless Cas9-assisted recombination (no-SCAR) gene-editing technology.
- Replaced the phage tail fiber gene (ORF40) of phage PHB20 to alter host specificity.
- Constructed a recombinant phage PHB20 library using PCR amplification of tail fiber genes.
Main Results:
- Successfully engineered polyvalent bacteriophages targeting multidrug-resistant *Escherichia coli*.
- Demonstrated the ability of engineered phages to infect both original and new bacterial hosts.
- Established a method for creating phage libraries to combat resistant bacteria.
Conclusions:
- Gene-editing technology can effectively regulate and expand bacteriophage host range.
- Engineered phages offer a promising strategy for treating infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria.
- This study provides insights into phage-host interactions and new antibacterial editing methods.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:26DNA Bacteriophages
80
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...
80
00:57Antibiotic Selection
54.9K
Overview
54.9K
00:43Lysogenic Cycle of Bacteriophages
62.8K
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...
62.8K
01:30Lytic Cycle of Bacteriophages
71.4K
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...
71.4K
01:30Development of Antibiotic Resistance
65
Antibiotic resistance is a major public health concern that arises when bacteria evolve mechanisms to withstand the effects of antibiotic treatments. This resistance can be intrinsic, acquired through genetic mutations, or transferred between bacteria via horizontal gene transfer. The development of antibiotic resistance poses significant challenges in treating bacterial infections and necessitates ongoing research to develop new therapeutic strategies.Intrinsic resistance occurs when bacterial...
65