Isolation and Characterization of Lytic Bacteriophages Capable of Infecting Diverse Multidrug-Resistant Strains of <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i>: PaCCP1 and PaCCP2

Background/Objectives: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major public health threat, which is exacerbated by the lack of new antibiotics and the emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) superbugs. Comprehensive efforts and alternative strategies to combat AMR are urgently needed to prevent social, m...

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Published in:Pharmaceuticals
Main Authors: Boris Parra, Maximiliano Sandoval, Vicente Arriagada, Luis Amsteins, Cristobal Aguayo, Andrés Opazo-Capurro, Arnaud Dechesne, Gerardo González-Rocha
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-11-01
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/17/12/1616
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Summary:Background/Objectives: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major public health threat, which is exacerbated by the lack of new antibiotics and the emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) superbugs. Comprehensive efforts and alternative strategies to combat AMR are urgently needed to prevent social, medical, and economic consequences. <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> is a pathogen responsible for a wide range of infections, from soft tissue infections to life-threatening conditions such as bacteremia and pneumonia. Bacteriophages have been considered as a potential therapeutic option to treat bacterial infections. Our aim was to isolate phages able to infect MDR <i>P. aeruginosa</i> strains. Methods: We isolated two lytic phages, using the conventional double layer agar technique (DLA), from samples obtained from the influent of a wastewater treatment plant in Concepción, Chile. The phages, designated as PaCCP1 and PaCCP2, were observed by electron microscopy and their host range was determined against multiple <i>P. aeruginosa</i> strains using DLA. Moreover, their genomes were sequenced and analyzed. Results: Phage PaCCP1 is a member of the <i>Septimatrevirus</i> genus and phage PaCCP2 is a member of the <i>Pbunavirus</i> genus. Both phages are tailed and contain dsDNA. The genome of PaCCP1 is 43,176 bp in length with a GC content of 54.4%, encoding 59 ORFs, one of them being a tRNA gene. The genome of PaCCP2 is 66,333 bp in length with a GC content of 55.6%, encoding 102 non-tRNA ORFs. PaCCP1 is capable of infecting five strains of <i>P. aeruginosa</i>, whereas phage PaCCP2 is capable of infecting three strains of <i>P. aeruginosa</i>. Both phages do not contain bacterial virulence or AMR genes and contain three and six putative Anti-CRISPR proteins. Conclusions: Phages PaCCP1 and PaCCP2 show promise as effective treatments for MDR <i>P. aeruginosa</i> strains, offering a potential strategy for controlling this clinically important pathogen through phage therapy.
ISSN:1424-8247