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Phage engineering strategies to expand host range for controlling antibiotic-resistant pathogens
Song Zhang1, Jin-Chul Kim1, Juhee Ahn2
1Department of Biomedical Science, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Gangwon 24341, Republic of Korea.
Microbiological Research
|July 13, 2025
Summary
Bacteriophages offer a solution to antibiotic resistance by targeting bacteria. Engineering their receptor-binding proteins can broaden host ranges, increasing phage therapy effectiveness.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Bacterial resistance necessitates novel therapeutic strategies.
- Bacteriophages are promising alternatives, but their narrow host specificity limits application.
- Receptor-binding proteins (RBPs) mediate phage adsorption and are key targets for engineering.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review bacteriophage receptor-binding proteins (RBPs) and their adsorption mechanisms.
- To explore various phage engineering platforms for modifying RBPs.
- To discuss strategies for designing synthetic phages with expanded host ranges.
Main Methods:
- Review of literature on bacteriophage RBPs and adsorption.
- Analysis of in vivo and in vitro phage engineering platforms (recombineering, CRISPR-Cas, yeast-based, cell-free).
- Discussion of synthetic biology approaches for phage genome customization.
Main Results:
- RBPs are critical for phage adsorption and host recognition.
- Diverse engineering platforms enable modification of RBPs to broaden host range.
- Synthetic phages can be designed for enhanced adsorption and broader efficacy.
Conclusions:
- Understanding RBP-host interactions is essential for effective phage engineering.
- Advanced engineering platforms offer flexibility in creating tailored bacteriophages.
- Phage engineering holds significant potential for combating bacterial resistance by expanding host ranges.
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