Article
Microbiology
Yoshimitsu Masuda, Shun Kawabata, Tatsuya Uedoi, Ken-ichi Honjoh, Takahisa Miyamoto
Summary: In this study, a novel antimicrobial agent, LLB-phage, was constructed by introducing the LLB structural gene into the lytic phage genome through genetic engineering. The LLB-phage demonstrated the ability to produce a significant amount of bacteriocin Q while enhancing the lytic activity of the phage and preventing the emergence of bacterial populations resistant to the phage. These results indicate the potential of designing a variety of LLB-phages to efficiently control different bacterial contaminations and infectious diseases.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Uylae Kim, Elizabeth S. Paul, Arturo Diaz
Summary: Microbacterium foliorum-derived lytic bacteriophages, including YuuY, have been characterized in this study. These phages possess broad host range and high temperature tolerance, making them highly valuable for further research and potential applications.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Review
Microbiology
Roberto Vazquez, Roberto Diez-Martinez, Pilar Domingo-Calap, Pedro Garcia, Diana Gutierrez, Maite Muniesa, Maria Ruiz-Ruigomez, Rafael Sanjuan, Maria Tomas, Maria Angeles Tormo-Mas, Pilar Garcia
Summary: Antibiotic resistance is a major challenge for humanity, and phage therapy is being considered as an alternative to antibiotics. However, the development of antibiotics hindered the wide application of phage therapy in the West. Nevertheless, due to the rise of antimicrobial resistance, phage therapy is experiencing a revival, and some countries are adopting regulations to promote its short-term implementation in clinical practice. The Phage Therapy Work Group from FAGOMA in Spain has contacted the Spanish Drugs and Medical Devices Agency to advocate for the regulation of phage therapy in the country.
Article
Virology
Hugo Oliveira, Rita Domingues, Benjamin Evans, J. Mark Sutton, Evelien M. Adriaenssens, Dann Turner
Summary: The genetic diversity of Acinetobacter phages was explored using comparative genomics approaches, revealing eight clusters and 46 sub-clusters. Five new subfamilies were proposed, and a reorganisation of the genus Obolenskvirus was suggested. These findings provide updated insights into the viruses infecting Acinetobacter species and their diversity.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jose Luis Villalpando-Aguilar, Gilberto Matos-Pech, Itzel Lopez-Rosas, Hugo Gildardo Castelan-Sanchez, Fulgencio Alatorre-Cobos
Summary: Phage therapy is an alternative treatment that uses bacteriophages to kill specific bacteria. It has shown positive results in improving food production in agriculture. However, finding effective bacteriophages is crucial for the success of this therapy.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Jorge Joa, Joao Lampreia, Duarte Miguel F. Prazeres, Ana M. Azevedo
Summary: Bacteriophages, as the most abundant biological entities on Earth, have a high level of specificity in infecting bacteria and offer a solution to the emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria. The development of phage therapies should be accompanied by improvements in phage biomanufacturing processes. Key factors in phage production and purification, traditional purification methods, and state-of-the-art purification approaches are discussed, with continuous purification of phages presented as a future trend in biomanufacturing.
BIOTECHNOLOGY ADVANCES
(2021)
Article
Virology
Marta Gomes, Rita Domingues, Dann Turner, Hugo Oliveira
Summary: In this study, two novel bacteriophages, nACB1 and nACB2, were isolated from sewage samples. They infect Acinetobacter beijerinckii and Acinetobacter halotolerans, respectively. Genetic analysis revealed that nACB1 and nACB2 are novel members of the Schitoviridae and the Ackermannviridae families. This study provides valuable information on phage-Acinetobacter interactions and the genetic evolution of phages.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Mikael Skurnik
Summary: Due to the increasing antibiotic resistance, it is necessary to address the issue promptly. Phage therapy, as a precision therapy for bacterial infections, has gained attention, but there are still unresolved issues such as clear instructions, practical experience, and seamless coordination.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Joanna Zebrowska, Malgorzata Witkowska, Anna Struck, Patrycja E. Laszuk, Edyta Raczuk, Malgorzata Ponikowska, Piotr M. Skowron, Agnieszka Zylicz-Stachula
Summary: Antibiotic resistance has rapidly spread among clinically relevant pathogens in recent decades. Natural molecules produced by soil microorganisms are a key source of new antimicrobial agents. Bacteria from the Geobacillus and Parageobacillus genera have significant potential in producing strong antimicrobial compounds.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Minghui Jia, Wanli Zhou, Dehua Luo, Heng Xue, Fen Hu, Xiaomei Zhang, Zirong Zhao, Mingyue Zhong, Xinfeng Li, Jin He, Hongping Wei, Hang Yang
Summary: This study investigated the influence of calcium on the activity and host range of a chimeric lysin, ClyF, and found that physiological calcium improves its bactericidal activity and expands its range of target bacteria, providing a promising candidate for the treatment of infections caused by multiple staphylococci and streptococci.
JOURNAL OF ANTIMICROBIAL CHEMOTHERAPY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Rebekah M. Dedrick, Bailey E. Smith, Rebecca A. Garlena, Daniel A. Russell, Haley G. Aull, Vaishnavi Mahalingam, Ashley M. Divens, Carlos A. Guerrero-Bustamante, Kira M. Zack, Lawrence Abad, Christian H. Gauthier, Deborah Jacobs-Sera, Graham F. Hatfull
Summary: Mycobacterium abscessus is an opportunistic pathogen with widespread multidrug resistance, making treatment difficult. However, the use of bacteriophages has shown potential as an alternative approach, especially for rough strains. Studying the phage infection profiles of clinical isolates has revealed that colony morphotype is a key indicator of phage susceptibility, leading to the possibility of using small cocktails or single phages for controlling infections.
Article
Microbiology
Carlos A. Guerrero-Bustamante, Rebekah M. Dedrick, Rebecca A. Garlena, Daniel A. Russell, Graham F. Hatfull
Summary: Research suggests using bacteriophages may be a promising strategy for treating tuberculosis, with a five-phage cocktail effectively killing Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains without affecting antibiotic effectiveness. This offers new possibilities for treating tuberculosis and combating antibiotic resistance.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Akiyo Suga, Marina Kawaguchi, Tetsuro Yonesaki, Yuichi Otsuka
Summary: This study identified key amino acid residues important for the interaction between gp37 protein in the distal tip (DT) region of T4 long tail fibers and OmpC of Escherichia coli, shedding light on the mechanism underlying phage host specificity. The results suggest that the shapes of both proteins at the binding interface play crucial roles in their interactions. Multiple phage mutants capable of adsorbing to various E. coli receptors were successfully isolated using a mutant T4 phage library with artificial modifications in the DT region, providing a basis for altering host specificity in phage therapy development.
APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Virology
Cyril J. Versoza, Abigail A. Howell, Tanya Aftab, Madison Blanco, Akarshi Brar, Elaine Chaffee, Nicholas Howell, Willow Leach, Jackelyn Lobatos, Michael Luca, Meghna Maddineni, Ruchira Mirji, Corinne Mitra, Maria Strasser, Saige Munig, Zeel Patel, Minerva So, Makena Sy, Sarah Weiss, Susanne P. Pfeifer
Summary: Bacteriophages infecting bacteria of the genus Gordonia have diverse applications in agriculture, biotechnology, and medicine. The putative host ranges of these bacteriophages were predicted using computational genomic inferences. The results suggest potential use of BiggityBass and its close relatives in phage therapy and wastewater treatment strategies.
Article
Virology
Marta Kuzminska-Bajor, Paulina Sliwka, Maciej Ugorski, Pawel Korzeniowski, Aneta Skaradzinska, Maciej Kuczkowski, Magdalena Narajaczyk, Alina Wieliczko, Rafal Kolenda
Summary: Five novel lytic Salmonella phages, UPWr_S1-5, were isolated and characterized in this study. They exhibit efficient infection of various Salmonella serovars and show potential in combating Salmonella infections, making them promising tools for biological control of salmonellosis.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Roberto Vazquez, Mirian Domenech, Manuel Iglesias-Bexiga, Margarita Menendez, Pedro Garcia
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2017)
Review
Immunology
Roberto Vazquez, Ernesto Garcia, Pedro Garcia
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2018)
Article
Microbiology
Roberto Vazquez, Pedro Garcia
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2019)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Mirian Domenech, Ernesto Garcia
APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Microbiology
Roberto Vazquez, Sofia Blanco-Ganan, Susana Ruiz, Pedro Garcia
Summary: Phage (endo)lysins have emerged as a promising solution to the antibiotic resistance crisis, either as standalone therapeutics or in combination with traditional antibiotics. Advances in engineering approaches and understanding natural mechanisms have enabled the targeting of Gram-negative bacteria. Additionally, the identification of antimicrobial peptide-like regions within lysins has provided a potential source for novel antimicrobials.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Roberto Vazquez, Francisco J. Caro-Leon, Alberto Nakal, Susana Ruiz, Carmen Donoro, Luis Garcia-Fernandez, Blanca Vazquez-Lasa, Julio San Roman, Jesus Sanz, Pedro Garcia, Maria Rosa Aguilar
Summary: Advanced biomaterials like chitosan derivatized nanoparticles (ChiDENPs) show potential for combating bacterial infections. ChiDENPs were synthesized to imitate choline residues in pneumococcal cell walls as ligands for choline-binding proteins (CBPs). This platform successfully encapsulated the antimicrobial enzyme Cpl-711 and demonstrated controlled release in biological settings.
CARBOHYDRATE POLYMERS
(2021)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Roberto Vazquez, Mateo Seoane-Blanco, Virginia Rivero-Buceta, Susana Ruiz, Mark J. van Raaij, Pedro Garcia
Summary: The antimicrobial activity of the endolysin from Pseudomonas aeruginosa phage JG004, termed Pae87, has been characterized. A high-resolution crystal structure of Pae87 complexed with a peptidoglycan fragment showed a separate substrate-binding region within the catalytic domain. An antimicrobial peptide-like region within the Pae87 C-terminus, named P87, was found to be able to actively disturb the outer membrane and display antibacterial activity by itself. Therefore, an antimicrobial mechanism for Pae87 is proposed in which the P87 peptide plays the role of binding to the outer membrane and disrupting the cell-wall function.
ACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA SECTION D-STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Microbiology
Roberto Vazquez, Roberto Diez-Martinez, Pilar Domingo-Calap, Pedro Garcia, Diana Gutierrez, Maite Muniesa, Maria Ruiz-Ruigomez, Rafael Sanjuan, Maria Tomas, Maria Angeles Tormo-Mas, Pilar Garcia
Summary: Antibiotic resistance is a major challenge for humanity, and phage therapy is being considered as an alternative to antibiotics. However, the development of antibiotics hindered the wide application of phage therapy in the West. Nevertheless, due to the rise of antimicrobial resistance, phage therapy is experiencing a revival, and some countries are adopting regulations to promote its short-term implementation in clinical practice. The Phage Therapy Work Group from FAGOMA in Spain has contacted the Spanish Drugs and Medical Devices Agency to advocate for the regulation of phage therapy in the country.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Roberto Vazquez, Antonio Domenech-Sanchez, Susana Ruiz, Julio Sempere, Jose Yuste, Sebastian Alberti, Pedro Garcia
Summary: Phage lysins are a potential alternative to antibiotics, especially for Gram-negative pathogens. In this study, a modified antimicrobial peptide derived from a phage lysin showed improved antibacterial activity, synergy with antibiotics, and low cytotoxicity.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Francisco J. Caro-Leon, Maria Luisa Lopez-Donaire, Roberto Vazquez, Miguel Huerta-Madronal, Jaime Lizardi-Mendoza, Waldo Manuel Arguelles-Monal, Daniel Fernandez-Quiroz, Luis Garcia-Fernandez, Julio San Roman, Blanca Vazquez-Lasa, Pedro Garcia, Maria Rosa Aguilar
Summary: This study synthesized water-soluble chitosan derivatives (Cs-DC) by conjugating diethylaminoethyl (DEAE) and catechol groups onto the chitosan backbone to obtain a Cs derivative with antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. The incorporation of DEAE and catechol groups increased the solubility of the polymer without affecting its antimicrobial activity. Moreover, the catecholic derivatives showed increased radical scavenging activity. Cs-DC also exhibited low cytotoxicity and the ability to reduce reactive oxygen species activity. Polymeric nanoparticles of Cs derivatives were obtained by ionotropic gelation and coated with hyaluronic acid, providing higher stability and a narrower size distribution.
Review
Cell Biology
Roberto Vazquez, Yves Briers
Summary: In recent years, the research on phage lysins as alternative antimicrobials has grown significantly, resulting in diverse naming customs among research groups. While this diversity showcases the vitality of the topic, it also creates confusion and lack of comparability. This article aims to clarify the ambiguities by examining the historical naming customs, providing a semantic classification, and proposing a standardized nomenclature for the lysin community.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Francisco G. Blanco, Roberto Vazquez, Ana M. Hernandez-Arriaga, Pedro Garcia, M. Auxiliadora Prieto
Summary: Polymeric nanoparticles show promising properties for targeted drug delivery due to their ability to enhance translocation through body barriers. Biopolymers like polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are gaining attention as nanocarrier biomaterials due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and the ability to be transported through hydrophobic media. In this study, PHA nanoparticles were converted into antimicrobial materials by immobilizing an enzybiotic, an antimicrobial enzyme, using a minimal PHA affinity tag. The resulting nanosystem displayed sustained antimicrobial activity against both planktonic and biofilm forms of Streptococcus pneumoniae.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Hans Gerstmans, Lisa Duyvejonck, Roberto Vazquez, Ines Staes, Jimmy Borloo, Karim Abdelkader, Jeroen Leroy, Emma Cremelie, Diana Gutierrez, Hector Tames-Caunedo, Patricia Ruas-Madiedo, Ana Rodriguez, Abram Aertsen, Jeroen Lammertyn, Rob Lavigne, Yves Briers
Summary: This study reveals an unexpected mode of action and exceptional thermoresistance for lysin 1D10. The findings provide valuable insights for lysin engineering designs in the future.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)