Bacterial Endospores as Phage Genome Carriers and Protective Shells
Abstract
Bacterial endospores can serve as phage genome protection shells against various environmental stresses to enhance microbial control applications. The genomes of polyvalent lytic Bacillus phages PBSC1 and PBSC2, which infect both B. subtilis subsp. subtilis and B. cereus NRS 248, were incorporated into B. subtilis endospores (without integration into the host chromosome). When PBSC1 and PBSC2 were released from germinating endospores, they significantly inhibited the growth of the targeted opportunistic pathogen B. cereus Optimal endospore entrapment was achieved when phages were introduced to the fast-sporulating prespores at a multiplicity of infection of 1. Longer endospore maturation (48 h versus 24 h) increased both spore yield and efficiency of entrapment. Compared with free phages, spore-protected phage genomes showed significantly higher resistance toward high temperatures (60 to 80°C), extreme pH (pH 2 or pH 12), and copper ions (0.1 to 10 mg/liter). Endospore germination is inducible by low concentrations of l-alanine or by a germinant mixture (l-asparagine, d-glucose, d-fructose, and K+) to trigger the expression, assembly, and consequent release of phage particles within 60 to 90 min. Overall, the superior resilienc...Continue Reading
References
Overcoming the phage replication threshold: a mathematical model with implications for phage therapy
Citations
Related Concepts
Related Feeds
Bacteriophage: Phage Therapy
Phage therapy uses bacterial viruses (bacteriophages) to treat bacterial infections and is widely being recognized as an alternative to antibiotics. Here is the latest research.
Bacillus Cereus Infection
Bacillus Cereus is a gram-positive bacteria that is the cause of some foodborne illnesses and leads to diarrhea and vomiting. Discover the latest research on Bacillus Cereus Infection here.