Elucidating bacteriophage dynamics and interactions with real-time label-free optical imaging

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Biophysics
• Optical Physics

Background:

• Bacteriophages are vital in microbial ecosystems and have therapeutic potential.
• Current bacteriophage monitoring methods often require fluorescent labeling, limiting real-time, non-invasive observation.
• Understanding phage dynamics is key for infection mechanism studies and biotechnological applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel, label-free optical microscopy method for bacteriophage monitoring.
• To demonstrate the capability of caustics-based microscopy for observing phage dynamics and interactions.
• To provide a robust, non-invasive technique for studying viral behavior.

Main Methods:

• Utilized caustics, an optical phenomenon, in a conventional microscopy setup.
• Applied the technique to monitor Pseudomonas aeruginosa phages (pelp20, phiKZ) and Escherichia coli phage (EcoLiv25).
• Performed prolonged monitoring of phage dynamics in liquid media.

Main Results:

• Generated distinct optical signatures for different bacteriophages.
• Successfully demonstrated prolonged, real-time monitoring of phage dynamics.
• Showcased the ability to quantitatively analyze phage motion, transport, and interactions.

Conclusions:

• Caustics-based optical microscopy is a robust, non-invasive imaging approach.
• This technique complements existing methods, enabling real-time observation of phage behavior.
• The method can accelerate viral dynamics research, phage-bacteria interaction studies, and the development of phage-based therapies.