Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yanze Mi, Yile He, Jinhui Mi, Yunfei Huang, Huahao Fan, Lihua Song, Xiaoping An, Shan Xu, Mengzhe Li, Yigang Tong
Summary: The emergence of phage-resistant bacterial strains poses challenges for phage therapy, but the resistant bacteria often come with adaptive trade-offs. This study investigates the impacts of phages targeting different bacterial receptors on the fitness of the bacterial population. The research findings suggest that phage-resistant bacteria may lose their resistance to antibiotics when countering with phages.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Virology
Claudia Igler
Summary: This article explores the phenotypic variation in bacteriophages and bacteria and its impact on their coexistence and phage therapy. The author suggests that even clonal phage and bacterial populations exhibit continuous phenotypic flux, which is caused by transient and nongenetic variation in phage and bacterial physiology. Understanding the mechanisms and effects of phenotypic flux is crucial for providing a comprehensive understanding of phage-bacteria coexistence.
Article
Microbiology
Bahareh Lashtoo Aghaee, Mohammadali Khan Mirzaei, Mohammad Yousef Alikhani, Ali Mojtahedi
Summary: Through screening hospital sewage and other environments, we successfully isolated 18 phages, with phages from hospital sewage showing the best efficiency in lysing P. aeruginosa. Phages from rivers had larger plaque size and lysed bacteria with higher levels of antibiotic resistance. These findings provide further support for sewage being an important source for phage isolation.
Article
Biology
Ali Ebrahimi, Akshit Goyal, Otto X. Cordero
Summary: Microbial foraging in patchy environments, particularly in the oceans, is influenced by the interaction between detachment rates from particles and net growth and mortality rates. Our mathematical model explains how different detachment rates can lead to stable coexistence of marine populations. Fluctuating environments increase the likelihood of coexistence by favoring both growth and mortality.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Severin Michael Steffan, Golshan Shakeri, Corinna Kehrenberg, Elisa Peh, Manfred Rohde, Madeleine Ploetz, Sophie Kittler
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the effects of newly isolated phages on current Campylobacter strains and compare the accuracy of different assay methods. The results showed that planktonic killing assays were a simple and effective tool for phage cocktail design. The mixture of group II phage vB_CcM-LmqsCP218-2c2 and group III phage vB_CjM-LmqsCP1-1 showed the most promise for combating Campylobacter infections.
Review
Microbiology
Julia E. Egido, Ana Rita Costa, Cristian Aparicio-Maldonado, Pieter-Jan Haas, Stan J. J. Brouns
Summary: This article explores the defense mechanisms of bacteriophages and their relevance for the potential clinical use of bacteriophages as therapeutic agents, suggesting new directions for research.
FEMS MICROBIOLOGY REVIEWS
(2022)
Review
Immunology
Lynn B. Martin, Haley E. Hanson, Mark E. Hauber, Cameron K. Ghalambor
Summary: Immunology has traditionally focused on controlling environmental variation to establish genetic causality, but individual variation actually arises from genetic, environmental, and their interactive pathways. Applying the evolutionary frameworks of phenotypic plasticity and reaction norms to immunology can enhance productivity, reproducibility, and reflect human physiology more accurately in model organism studies.
TRENDS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Wei Yan, Parikshit Banerjee, Miao Xu, Subhankar Mukhopadhyay, Margaret Ip, Nicholas B. Carrigy, David Lechuga-Ballesteros, Kenneth Kin Wah To, Sharon S. Y. Leung
Summary: Bacteriophages are antibacterial viruses that are not affected by antibiotic resistance. Clinical trials have shown acceptable safety profiles, but there is a lack of data to support the promising outcomes of experimental phage therapy. The effectiveness of phage therapy depends on the ratio of phage to bacterial concentrations at the infection site.
ADVANCED DRUG DELIVERY REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Maria Victoria Diaz-Galian, Miguel A. Vega-Rodriguez, Felipe Molina
Summary: Phage therapy is a strategy used to lyse bacteria that cause harm to health. This article introduces an R package called PhageCocktail that automatically designs efficient phage cocktails.
COMPUTER METHODS AND PROGRAMS IN BIOMEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Greater Kayode Oyejobi, Sunday Olabode Olaniyan, Nana-Aishat Yusuf, Deborah Adepeju Ojewande, Mobolaji Johnson Awopetu, Goodness Opeyemi Oyeniran, Fazal Mehmood Khan, Peter Alabi Dare, Maryam Kikelomo Adegbite-Badmus
Summary: Acinetobacter baumannii is an important nosocomial and opportunistic pathogen with high antibiotic resistance. New treatment approaches like the use of bacteriophage, phage-antibiotic combinations, and resistance-driven fitness losses are crucial for controlling its infections.
MICROBIOLOGICAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Joshua M. Borin, Sarit Avrani, Jeffrey E. Barrick, Katherine L. Petrie, Justin R. Meyer
Summary: Training bacteriophages on target hosts before therapy can prolong suppression of antibiotic-resistant bacteria by delaying the evolution of resistance. Evolution of resistance to trained phages is more costly and requires multiple mutations, making them more effective in combating resistance. Transfer of genetic information from host genomes through recombination can enhance phage fitness and improve treatment outcomes, highlighting the potential of training in phage therapy development.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Sophia K. Berry, Steven Rust, Carolina Caceres, Lorraine Irving, Josefin Bartholdson Scott, David E. Tabor, Gordon Dougan, Graham Christie, Paul Warrener, Ralph Minter, Andrew J. Grant
Summary: The research investigated alternative therapy options for recurrent multi-drug resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae infections. The study found a monoclonal antibody that could clear host cell and macrophage-associated bacteria, suggesting it has potential therapeutic effects for treating Klebsiella pneumoniae infections.
Review
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Olesia I. North, Eric D. Brown
Summary: Antibiotic resistance has become dangerously high worldwide, with a lack of new antibiotics available for clinicians. Combining phages with antibiotics shows promise in suppressing and even reversing resistance evolution in bacteria, highlighting the importance of further understanding their interactions in complex clinical environments.
ANNALS OF THE NEW YORK ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Biology
Manuel Menor-Flores, Miguel A. Vega-Rodriguez, Felipe Molina
Summary: This study introduces two innovative computational methods for designing phage cocktails to combat infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria. These methods focus on generating the best mixture and maintaining a short runtime, and have been integrated into a Cytoscape application available for all users.
COMPUTERS IN BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Natalie Travaglione, Richard Evans, Molly Moustaka, Michael Cuttler, Damian P. Thomson, James Tweedley, Shaun Wilson
Summary: This study assessed the variation in heterotrophy of three coral genera (Acropora spp., Porites spp., and Platygyra spp.) among different turbidity levels in the Dampier Archipelago, Western Australia. The results showed that heterotrophy increased in all three coral genera in highly turbid environments. Porites spp. preferred heterotrophy across all turbidity levels, while Platygyra spp. and Acropora spp. showed lower heterotrophy in sites with lower turbidity. This suggests that some scleractinian corals can adjust their feeding strategies based on turbidity levels.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Katharine Hammond, Flaviu Cipcigan, Kareem Al Nahas, Valeria Losasso, Helen Lewis, Jehangir Cama, Fausto Martelli, Patrick W. Simcock, Marcus Fletcher, Jascindra Ravi, Phillip J. Stansfeld, Stefano Pagliara, Bart W. Hoogenboom, Ulrich F. Keyser, Mark S. P. Sansom, Jason Crain, Maxim G. Ryadnov
Summary: Cell membrane disruption is a fundamental host defense response that can result in a complex fractal rupture pattern induced by a single side-chain mutation in peptide membranes, which occurs exclusively in the upper leaflet of the bilayer and resembles viscous instabilities in fluid flow. This mode of disruption has strong antimicrobial properties.
Article
Microbiology
Tatiana Dimitriu, Elena Kurilovich, Urszula Lapinska, Konstantin Severinov, Stefano Pagliara, Mark D. Szczelkun, Edze R. Westra
Summary: Phages impose strong selection on bacteria to evolve resistance against viral predation. Bacteria can rapidly evolve phage resistance via receptor mutation or using their CRISPR-Cas adaptive immune systems. Acquisition of CRISPR immunity relies on the insertion of a phage-derived sequence into CRISPR arrays in the bacterial genome. Conditions that reduce bacterial growth rates, such as exposure to bacteriostatic antibiotics, promote the evolution of CRISPR immunity by slowing phage development and allowing cells more time to acquire phage-derived sequences.
CELL HOST & MICROBE
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jehangir Cama, Kareem Al Nahas, Marcus Fletcher, Katharine Hammond, Maxim G. Ryadnov, Ulrich F. Keyser, Stefano Pagliara
Summary: This study investigates the structure-activity relationships of polypeptide antibiotics using two microfluidic platforms. The researchers find strong correlations between the physicochemical activity of each peptide at the membrane level and its biological activity at the cellular level. They demonstrate the capability of their strategy to detect differential responses for peptides with single amino acid substitutions, which can accelerate the rational design and development of peptide antimicrobials.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Emily J. Stevens, Daniel J. Morse, Dora Bonini, Seana Duggan, Tarcisio Brignoli, Mario Recker, John A. Lees, Nicholas J. Croucher, Stephen Bentley, Daniel J. Wilson, Sarah G. Earle, Robert Dixon, Angela Nobbs, Howard Jenkinson, Tim van Opijnen, Derek Thibault, Oliver J. Wilkinson, Mark S. Dillingham, Simon Carlile, Rachel M. McLoughlin, Ruth C. Massey
Summary: Streptococcus pneumoniae is a major human pathogen that can cause severe invasive diseases such as pneumonia, septicaemia, and meningitis. The haemolytic toxin pneumolysin (Ply) is identified as a primary virulence factor for this bacterium, and a novel modular protein, ZomB, is found to regulate Ply activity and potentially influence bacterial colonization in the respiratory tract and lungs in mice. Additionally, the antibiotic resistance gene acquired on the ICE ICESp23FST81 is shown to play a role in controlling the expression of a major virulence factor, suggesting its importance in the success of S. pneumoniae lineages that acquire it.
MICROBIAL GENOMICS
(2022)
Article
Biology
Georgina Glover, Margaritis Voliotis, Urszula Lapinska, Brandon M. Invergo, Darren Soanes, Paul O'Neill, Karen Moore, Nela Nikolic, Peter G. Petrov, David S. Milner, Sumita Roy, Kate Heesom, Thomas A. Richards, Krasimira Tsaneva-Atanasova, Stefano Pagliara
Summary: The combined nutritional and salinity limitation increases glucose uptake and degradation rates in individual E. coli bacteria. Environmental conditions that are comparatively unfavourable for growth lead to higher glucose accumulation rates in individual bacteria and population subsets. These changes in metabolic function are influenced by variations at translational and posttranslational levels, but not at the transcriptional level, and are not dependent on cell size.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Matthew Kellom, Stefano Pagliara, Thomas A. Richards, Alyson E. Santoro
Summary: Transporter proteins play a crucial role in microbial evolution, influencing the strategies of microorganisms to acquire nutrients from the environment. Ammonium transporter proteins in deep ocean environments show an evolutionary trend towards increasing dipoles, potentially to facilitate more effective ammonium acquisition in low nutrient conditions.
Article
Biology
Urszula Lapinska, Margaritis Voliotis, Ka Kiu Lee, Adrian Campey, M. Rhia L. Stone, Brandon Tuck, Wanida Phetsang, Bing Zhang, Krasimira Tsaneva-Atanasova, Mark A. T. Blaskovich, Stefano Pagliara
Summary: Phenotypic variations in microbial cells, driven by differences in drug transport rates, play a crucial role in the resistance of microbial pathogens to pharmacotherapies. This study used microfluidics-based single-cell microscopy and fluorescent antibiotic probes to identify phenotypic variants that avoid antibiotic accumulation. Surprisingly, fast growing variants were found to avoid macrolide accumulation and survive treatment without genetic mutations, contrary to current consensus. These fast growing variants also showed higher expression of ribosomal promoters, facilitating essential cellular processes and reducing macrolide accumulation. This new knowledge can be used to develop strategies to overcome antibiotic treatment failures.
Article
Physics, Applied
Jacob L. Binsley, Stefano Pagliara, Feodor Y. Ogrin
Summary: Integrating miniature pumps within microfluidic devices is crucial for advancing point-of-care diagnostics. This study simulates and evaluates the performance of an elastic-magnetic integrated microfluidic pump, revealing the correlation between the emergence of flow behavior and variables such as frequency and proximity, and providing important insights for the design and optimization of the pump.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Tarcisio Brignoli, Mario Recker, Winnie W. Y. Lee, Tim Dong, Ranjeet Bhamber, Mahableshwar Albur, Philip Williams, Andrew W. Dowsey, Ruth C. Massey
Summary: Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia (SAB) is a major cause of blood-stream infection (BSI) in both healthcare and community settings. Recent studies have shown the importance of the level of cytolytic toxin production by the infecting bacterium. This study demonstrates that this cytotoxicity can be determined directly from the diagnostic MALDI-TOF mass spectrum.
Correction
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
M. Kellom, S. Pagliara, T. A. Richards, A. Santoro
Article
Microbiology
Roenick P. Olmo, Yaovi M. H. Todjro, Eric R. G. R. Aguiar, Joao Paulo P. de Almeida, Flavia V. Ferreira, Juliana N. Armache, Isaque J. S. de Faria, Alvaro G. A. Ferreira, Siad C. G. Amadou, Ana Teresa S. Silva, Katia P. R. de Souza, Ana Paula P. Vilela, Antinea Babarit, Cheong H. Tan, Mawlouth Diallo, Alioune Gaye, Christophe Paupy, Judicael Obame-Nkoghe, Tessa M. M. Visser, Constantianus J. M. Koenraadt, Merril A. Wongsokarijo, Ana Luiza C. Cruz, Mariliza T. Prieto, Maisa C. P. Parra, Mauricio L. Nogueira, Vivian Avelino-Silva, Renato N. N. Mota, Magno A. Z. Borges, Betania P. Drumond, Erna G. G. Kroon, Mario Recker, Luigi Sedda, Eric Marois, Jean-Luc Imler, Joao T. Marques
Summary: The study analyzed the mechanism by which insect-specific viruses affect mosquito vector competence to transmit dengue virus to humans. Two mosquito-specific viruses, Phasi Charoen-like virus (PCLV) and Humaita Tubiacanga virus (HTV), were found to be the most abundant in Aedes aegypti worldwide. The presence of HTV and PCLV increased the ability of mosquitoes to transmit dengue virus and Zika virus to a vertebrate host.
NATURE MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Selidji Agnandji, Mario Recker, Benjamin Mordmueller, Stephan Gloeckner, Akim A. Adegnika, Bertrand Lell, Lucas Otieno, Walter Otieno, Seth Owusu-Agyei, Kwaku P. Asante, Tsiri Agbenyega, Daniel Ansong, Eusebio Macete, Pedro Aide, Hermann Sorgho, Halidou Tinto, Neema Mturi, John P. A. Lusingu, Samwel Gesase, Irving Hoffman, Nahya Salim Masoud, Charles R. Newton, Kalifa Bojang, Gerard Krause, Peter Gottfried Kremsner
Summary: Malaria remains a major cause of hospitalization in children in sub-Saharan Africa. Rapid risk stratification upon admission is crucial for optimal medical care and improved prognosis. While coma, deep breathing, and to some extent severe anemia are established predictors of malaria-related death, the significance of assessing prostration for risk stratification is not yet certain.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Erin L. Attrill, Urszula Lapinska, Edze R. Westra, Sarah V. Harding, Stefano Pagliara
Summary: Interactions between bacteria and bacteriophage are crucial for the global ecosystem, but their dynamics are influenced by changes in environmental factors. This study reveals that clonal bacterial populations can display different phenotypes and responses to phage, and the abundance of these phenotypes is affected by variations in the environment.
ISME COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
