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Broad-range capsule-dependent lytic Sugarlandvirus against Klebsiella sp

Robby Concha-Eloko1, Pilar Barberán-Martínez1, Rafael Sanjuán1

  • 1Instituto de Biología Integrativa de Sistemas, Universitat de València-CSIC , Paterna, Spain.

Microbiology Spectrum
|October 26, 2023
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

New bacteriophages (phages) can infect a wide range of Klebsiella pneumoniae strains, offering a promising solution for combating multi-drug resistant bacteria. These broad-range phages infect bacteria independently of depolymerases, suggesting novel infection mechanisms.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Bacteriophage Therapy
  • Antimicrobial Resistance

Background:

  • Multi-drug resistant bacteria, particularly Klebsiella pneumoniae, pose a significant global health threat.
  • Bacteriophages (phages) are viruses that infect bacteria and are a promising alternative to antibiotics.
  • Phage specificity, especially in Klebsiella, often relies on depolymerases targeting specific capsular types, limiting their broad application.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To isolate and characterize novel phages with broad lytic activity against diverse Klebsiella pneumoniae capsular types.
  • To investigate the infection mechanism of broad-range Klebsiella phages, particularly concerning capsule dependency.
  • To explore potential alternative mechanisms governing phage infectivity in the absence of depolymerases.

Main Methods:

  • Isolation and characterization of novel bacteriophages from environmental samples.
  • Determination of phage lytic activity against a wide panel of Klebsiella pneumoniae strains representing various capsular types.
  • Genomic analysis of isolated phages to identify genes encoding depolymerases or other relevant enzymes.
  • Phenotypic analysis to assess capsule dependency and infectivity mechanisms.

Main Results:

  • Isolation of novel phages exhibiting lytic activity against a broad spectrum of Klebsiella pneumoniae capsular types, the widest range reported to date.
  • Demonstration of capsule dependency for infection by these broad-range phages.
  • Absence of known depolymerase genes in the genomes of these phages, indicating a novel infection mechanism.

Conclusions:

  • The identified broad-range phages represent a significant advancement in phage therapy for Klebsiella pneumoniae infections.
  • The capsule-dependent infectivity of these phages, despite lacking depolymerases, highlights novel mechanisms of phage-bacteria interaction.
  • Further research into these alternative mechanisms could lead to the development of more effective and versatile phage-based therapeutics.
Keywords:
Klebsiellabacteriophagescapsuleinfection rangephage cocktailphage therapy

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