Abstract
Sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) represent a group of prokaryotic microorganisms that are widely spread in the anoxic environment (seabed, riverbed and lakebed sediments, mud, intestinal tract of humans and animals, metal surfaces). SRB species also have an impact on processes occurring in the intestinal tract of humans and animals, including the connections between their presence and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Since these SRB can develop antimicrobial resistance toward the drugs, including antibiotics and antimicrobial agents, bacteriophages could represent an additional potential effective treatment. The main objectives of the review were as follows: (a) to review SRB (both from intestinal and environmental sources) regarding their role in intestinal diseases as well as their influence in environmental processes; and (b) to review, according to literature data, the influence of bacteriophages on SRB and their possible applications. Since SRB can have a significant adverse influence on industry as well as on humans and animals health, phage treatment of SRB can be seen as a possible effective method of SRB inhibition. However, there are relatively few studies concerning the influence of phages on SRB strains. Siphoviridae and Myoviridae families represent the main sulfide-producing bacteria phages. The most recent studies induced, by UV light, bacteriophages from Desulfovibrio vulgaris NCIMB 8303 and Desulfovibrio desulfuricans ATCC 13541. Notwithstanding costly and medically significant negative impacts of phages on SRB, they have been the subject of relatively few studies. The current search for alternatives to chemical biocides and antibiotics has led to the renewed interest in phages as antibacterial biocontrol and therapeutic agents, including their use against SRB. Hence, phages might represent a promising treatment against SRB in the future.
Highlights
Sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) are a group of anaerobic microorganisms that can be present in the environment and gastrointestinal tract as a part of the intestinal microbiome and can be involved in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), including ulcerative colitis in the human and animals [14,15,16,17,18,19]
The aim of the review is to characterize the harmful effects of SRB on both infrastructure and humans, to provide an overview of the current state of SRB–phage research, and to explore the potential for bacteriophages to be used in the control of SRB
The release of MeHg in marine environments occurs under anaerobic conditions, and the methylation of Hg(II) in freshwater systems is mainly done by sulfate-reducing bacteria or iron-reducing bacteria [59]
Summary
Sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) are a group of anaerobic microorganisms that can be present in the environment and gastrointestinal tract as a part of the intestinal microbiome and can be involved in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), including ulcerative colitis in the human and animals [14,15,16,17,18,19]. They play an important role in this environmental sulfur cycle, especially in the dissimilatory sulfate reduction process. The aim of the review is to characterize the harmful effects of SRB on both infrastructure and humans, to provide an overview of the current state of SRB–phage research, and to explore the potential for bacteriophages to be used in the control of SRB
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