Department of Biotechnology
inStem (Institute for Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine)

A Novel N4-Like Bacteriophage Isolated from a Wastewater Source in South India with Activity against Several Multidrug-Resistant Clinical Pseudomonas aeruginosa Isolates.

Publication Type

Journal Article

Date of Publication

January 13, 2021

Journal

mSphere

Volume/Issue

6/1

ISSN

2379-5042

Multidrug-resistant community-acquired infections caused by the opportunistic human pathogen are increasingly reported in India and other locations globally. Since this organism is ubiquitous in the environment, samples such as sewage and wastewater are rich reservoirs of bacteriophages. In this study, we report the isolation and characterization of a novel N4-like lytic bacteriophage, vB_Pae_AM.P2 (AM.P2), from wastewater in Kerala, India. AM.P2 is a double-stranded DNA podovirus that efficiently lyses the model strain, PAO1, at a multiplicity of infection as low as 0.1 phage per bacterium and resistance frequency of 6.59 × 10 Synergy in bactericidal activity was observed between AM.P2 and subinhibitory concentrations of the antibiotic ciprofloxacin. Genome sequencing of AM.P2 revealed features similar to those of the N4-like phages LUZ7 and KPP21. As judged by two independent assay methods, spot tests and growth inhibition, AM.P2 successfully inhibited the growth of almost 30% of strains from a contemporary collection of multidrug-resistant clinical isolates from South India. Thus, AM.P2 may represent an intriguing candidate for inclusion in bacteriophage cocktails developed for various applications, including water decontamination and clinical bacteriophage therapy. In India, multidrug resistance determinants are much more abundant in community-associated bacterial pathogens due to the improper treatment of domestic and industrial effluents. In particular, a high bacterial load of the opportunistic pathogen in sewage and water bodies in India is well documented. The isolation and characterization of bacteriophages that could target emerging strains, representing possible epicenters for community-acquired infections, could serve as a useful alternative tool for various applications, such as phage therapy and environmental treatment. Continuing to supplement the repertoire of broad-spectrum bacteriophages is an essential tool in confronting this problem.

Alternate Journal

mSphere

PubMed ID

33441405

PubMed Central ID

PMC7845610

Authors

Nitasha D Menon
Megha S Kumar
T G Satheesh Babu
Sucharita Bose
Gayathri Vijayakumar
Manasi Baswe
Meghna Chatterjee
Jovita Rowena D'Silva
Kavya Shetty
Jayalekshmi Haripriyan
Anil Kumar
Samitha Nair
Priyanka Somanath
Bipin G Nair
Victor Nizet
Geetha B Kumar

Keywords

India
Anti-Bacterial Agents
Bacteriophages
DNA, Viral
Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial
Genome, Bacterial
Pseudomonas Infections
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Wastewater
Humans
Whole Genome Sequencing