A Tailspike with Exopolysaccharide Depolymerase Activity from a New Providencia stuartii Phage Makes Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria Susceptible to Serum-Mediated Killing
Hugo Oliveira, Graça Pinto, Bruna de Oliveira Mendes, Óscar Dias, Hanne Hendrix, Ergun Akturk, Jean‐Paul Noben, Jan Gawor, Małgorzata Łobocka, Rob Lavigne, Joana Azeredo
Abstract
is an infrequent but relevant drug-resistant nosocomial pathogen causing local to systemic life-threatening infections. We propose an alternative approach to fight this bacterium based on the properties of phage tailspikes with depolymerase activity that degrade the surface bacterial polymers, making the bacteria susceptible to the immune system. Unlike antibiotics, phage tailspikes have narrow and specific substrate spectra, and by acting as antivirulent but not bactericidal agents they do not cause the selection of resistant bacteria.
Topics & Concepts
MicrobiologyBacteriaAntibioticsPhage therapyMultiple drug resistanceBiologyImmune systemBacteriophageVirologyPseudomonas aeruginosaProvidenciaDrug resistancePathogenEnterobacteriaceaeImmunologyEscherichia coliGeneBiochemistryGeneticsBacteriophages and microbial interactionsAntibiotic Resistance in BacteriaBacterial Genetics and Biotechnology