High throughput platform technology for rapid target identification in personalized phage therapy.

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Biotechnology
• Drug Discovery

Background:

• Bacteriophages are increasingly approved for human therapy against antibiotic-resistant infections.
• Large, decentralized phage biobanks require efficient target identification technologies.
• Current methods for phage screening can be time-consuming and resource-intensive.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a high-throughput phage screening platform for rapid identification of therapeutic phages.
• To create a portable, shelf-stable phage delivery system for enhanced accessibility.
• To enable quick detection of phages targeting multidrug-resistant bacteria.

Main Methods:

• Designed a platform using individual, solid phage-containing tablets.
• Incorporated luciferin and luciferase stabilized in a pullulan and trehalose sugar matrix.
• Utilized adenosine triphosphate (ATP) bioluminescence upon bacterial cell burst for detection.
• Demonstrated desiccation tolerance for improved transportability.

Main Results:

• Successfully identified target phages for multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella enterica, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus.
• Screening identified targets within 30-120 minutes.
• The tablet formulation demonstrated enhanced desiccation tolerance.

Conclusions:

• The developed platform offers a transformative approach for high-throughput phage screening.
• This technology significantly increases the accessibility and usability of therapeutic phages.
• Rapid identification of effective phages against resistant bacteria is achievable.