Rapid assessment of changes in phage bioactivity using dynamic light scattering

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Biotechnology
• Materials Science

Background:

• Bacteriophage therapy is promising for antibiotic-resistant bacteria but hindered by preparation instability.
• Assessing active phage concentration over time is crucial for reliable phage therapy development.

Approach:

• Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) was employed to monitor physical changes in bacteriophages.
• DLS measured phage aggregation and physical state shifts in response to environmental factors and time.
• A web application, Phage-ELF, was developed to support DLS analysis of phages.

Key Points:

• Phage preparations exhibit decay and aggregation over time, impacting bioactivity.
• DLS effectively predicts phage bioactivity based on aggregation levels.
• Optimized storage conditions and assessed archival phage stocks using DLS.

Conclusions:

• DLS offers a rapid, convenient, and non-destructive method for bacteriophage quality control.
• This technique is valuable for both academic research and commercial applications in phage therapy.
• Ensuring phage preparation stability is key to advancing bacteriophage therapeutics.