Abstract
Increasing isolation of the extremely antibiotic resistant bacterium Stenotrophomonas maltophilia has caused alarm worldwide due to the limited treatment options available. A potential treatment option for fighting this bacterium is ‘phage therapy’, the clinical application of bacteriophages to selectively kill bacteria. Bacteriophage DLP6 (vB_SmoM-DLP6) was isolated from a soil sample using clinical isolate S. maltophilia strain D1571 as host. Host range analysis of phage DLP6 against 27 clinical S. maltophilia isolates shows successful infection and lysis in 13 of the 27 isolates tested. Transmission electron microscopy of DLP6 indicates that it is a member of the Myoviridae family. Complete genome sequencing and analysis of DLP6 reveals its richly recombined evolutionary history, featuring a core of both T4-like and cyanophage genes, which suggests that it is a member of the T4-superfamily. Unlike other T4-superfamily phages however, DLP6 features a transposase and ends with 229 bp direct terminal repeats. The isolation of this bacteriophage is an exciting discovery due to the divergent nature of DLP6 in relation to the T4-superfamily of phages.
Highlights
The spread and increasing incidence of antibiotic resistance is imminent, with experts suggesting we will face a “post-antibiotic era” in the 21st century [1]
Pulse Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) analysis using SpeI or XbaI separately showed no integration of the DLP6 genome into the S. maltophilia D1571 chromosome, and DLP6-specific PCR indicated the genome’s presence after 2–3 passages, but not after >5 passages
S. maltophilia bacteriophage DLP6 was isolated from a soil sample using S. maltophilia strain D1571 as the host bacterium
Summary
The spread and increasing incidence of antibiotic resistance is imminent, with experts suggesting we will face a “post-antibiotic era” in the 21st century [1]. The extremely antibiotic resistant bacterium Stenotrophomonas maltophilia has been increasingly identified as a causative agent in both nosocomial and community-acquired infections [3]. Infections associated with S. maltophilia include, but are not limited to pneumonia, bacteremia, meningitis, endocarditis, catheter-related bacteremia/septicemia and acute exacerbations in patients with cystic fibrosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [3, 4]. Due to the ubiquitous nature of S. maltophilia in the environment and the possibility of spreading this bacterium through cough-generated aerosols, infection prevention has proven to be difficult [3, 5]. Once infected with S. maltophilia, treatment options are limited due to its innate resistance to a broad array of antibiotics
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
