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Phage Milagro: a platform for engineering a broad host range virulent phage for Burkholderia

Guichun Yao1,2, Tram Le2, Abby M Korn1,2

  • 1Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Texas A&M University , College Station, Texas, USA.

Journal of Virology
|November 9, 2023
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Researchers engineered bacteriophages to treat drug-resistant Burkholderia infections common in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. This work expands phage host range and selects for virulent mutants, offering a new therapeutic strategy for difficult-to-treat infections.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology and Virology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Biotechnology

Background:

  • Burkholderia infections pose a significant challenge in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) and other immunocompromising conditions.
  • Conventional antibiotics are often ineffective against Burkholderia due to inherent drug resistance.
  • Bacteriophages (bacterial viruses) are emerging as a potential alternative therapy, but naturally occurring phages often have limitations such as being temperate and having narrow host ranges.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To engineer the temperate Burkholderia phage Milagro into a potential therapeutic agent.
  • To expand the host range of the phage Milagro.
  • To select for strictly virulent phage mutants for enhanced therapeutic utility.

Main Methods:

  • Characterization of the temperate Burkholderia phage Milagro.
  • Genetic engineering techniques to modify and expand the phage's host range.
  • Selection strategies to isolate strictly virulent phage mutants.

Main Results:

  • Successful engineering of the Burkholderia phage Milagro.
  • Demonstrated expansion of the phage's host range.
  • Isolation of virulent phage mutants suitable for therapeutic development.

Conclusions:

  • Engineered bacteriophages, like the modified Milagro phage, show promise as an alternative treatment for intractable Burkholderia infections.
  • Expanding host range and selecting for virulence are key strategies for developing effective phage-based therapeutics.
  • This approach offers a potential new avenue for treating CF patients with drug-resistant bacterial infections.
Keywords:
BurkholderiaBurkholderia cepacia complexautoplaquingbacteriophage therapybacteriophageslysogenyphage engineeringtail fiber engineering

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