Characterization of bacteriophages specificity for antibiotic-resistant Salmonella typhimurium

Abstract

This study aimed to propose a new approach to understand the binding interaction between bacteriophages and antibiotic-resistant Salmonella typhimurium. The antibiotic susceptibilities of S. typhimurium strains were determined using a broth dilution method. The phage adsorption rates were determined to evaluate the lytic ability of bacteriophages against S. typhimurium strains. Bacterial outer membrane proteins and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were analyzed to evaluate the antibiotic-induced alteration in bacterial cell surface receptors. The relative expression levels of outer membrane-, flagella-, porin-, and O-antigen-related genes were estimated using a qPCR assay. Compared to STWT, the STCIP exhibited a reduced susceptibility to cefotaxime (32-fold), ciprofloxacin (32-fold), meropenem (16-fold), and norfloxacin (64-fold). PBST35 produced adsorption rates of 82–95% at STWT, STCIP, and STCCARM within the first 10 min of infection. Compared to STWT, STCIP exhibited less protein bands between 24 and 36 kDa, corresponding to the low adsorption rates of P22 and PBST10. The relative expression levels of outer membrane-related genes (btuB, ompC, and tolC), flagellar-related genes (fliC, fljB, and fliK), porin-related gene (fhuA), and O-antigen-related genes (rfaL) were decreased in STCIP. The alteration in bacteriophage-binding receptors resulted in the low adsorption rate. Our findings provide new insights for effective treatment against antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The results would help to develop new therapeutic strategy as a prospective alternative control of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.