Isolation, screening and characterization of phage

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Virology
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Antibiotic resistance poses a significant global health threat due to a scarcity of new antibacterial drugs.
• Bacteriophages, natural bacterial predators, present a promising alternative for combating infections in the post-antibiotic era.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide guidance on isolating bacteriophages.
• To outline methods for screening phage antimicrobial efficacy.
• To detail comprehensive characterization of phages, including morphological, biological, genomic, and taxonomic features.

Main Methods:

• Phage isolation techniques.
• Antimicrobial efficacy screening assays.
• Morphological, biological, genomic, and taxonomic characterization protocols.

Main Results:

• Established protocols for effective phage isolation.
• Demonstrated methods for initial screening of phage antimicrobial activity.
• Provided a framework for comprehensive phage characterization.

Conclusions:

• Phage isolation and characterization are crucial for developing phage-based therapies.
• This guidance facilitates the discovery and application of phages for bacterial control.
• Phages hold significant potential to address the challenge of antimicrobial resistance.