Ongenae, V. | bioRxiv Science

bioRxiv2022

A flexible and efficient microfluidics platform for the characterization and isolation of novel bacteriophages

Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria. This property makes them highly suitable for varied uses in industry or in the development of the treatment of bacterial infections. However, the conventional methods that are used to isolate and analyze these bacteriophages from the environment are generally cumbersome and time-consuming. Here, we adapted a high-throughput microfluidic setup for long-term analysis of bacteriophage-bacteria interaction and demonstrate isolation of phages from environmental samples.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2021

Reversible bacteriophage resistance by shedding the bacterial cell wall

Phages are highly abundant in the environment and a major threat for bacteria. Therefore, bacteria have evolved sophisticated defense systems to withstand phage attacks. Here, we describe a previously unknown mechanism by which mono- and diderm bacteria survive infection with diverse lytic phages. Phage exposure leads to a rapid and near complete conversion of walled cells to a cell wall-deficient state, which remain viable in osmoprotective conditions and can revert to the walled state. While shedding the cell wall dramatically reduces the number of progeny phages produced by the host, it does not always preclude phage infection. Altogether, these results show that the formation of cell wall-deficient cells prevents complete eradication of the bacterial population and suggest that cell wall-deficiency may limit the efficacy of phage therapy, especially in highly osmotic environments or when used together with antibiotics that target the cell wall.

microbiology↗