Burkholderia contaminans Bacteriophage CSP3 Requires O-Antigen Polysaccharides for Infection
ABSTRACT The Burkholderia cepacia complex is a group of opportunistic pathogens that cause both severe acute and chronic respiratory infections. Due to their large genomes containing multiple intrinsic and acquired antimicrobial resistance mechanisms, treatment is often difficult and prolonged. One...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
American Society for Microbiology
2023-06-01
|
| Series: | Microbiology Spectrum |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/spectrum.05332-22 |
| _version_ | 1797803380321550336 |
|---|---|
| author | Cassandra R. Stanton Steven Batinovic Steve Petrovski |
| author_facet | Cassandra R. Stanton Steven Batinovic Steve Petrovski |
| author_sort | Cassandra R. Stanton |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT The Burkholderia cepacia complex is a group of opportunistic pathogens that cause both severe acute and chronic respiratory infections. Due to their large genomes containing multiple intrinsic and acquired antimicrobial resistance mechanisms, treatment is often difficult and prolonged. One alternative to traditional antibiotics for treatment of bacterial infections is bacteriophages. Therefore, the characterization of bacteriophages infective for the Burkholderia cepacia complex is critical to determine their suitability for any future use. Here, we describe the isolation and characterization of novel phage, CSP3, infective against a clinical isolate of Burkholderia contaminans. CSP3 is a new member of the Lessievirus genus that targets various Burkholderia cepacia complex organisms. Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis of CSP3-resistant B. contaminans showed that mutations to the O-antigen ligase gene, waaL, consequently inhibited CSP3 infection. This mutant phenotype is predicted to result in the loss of cell surface O-antigen, contrary to a related phage that requires the inner core of the lipopolysaccharide for infection. Additionally, liquid infection assays showed that CSP3 provides suppression of B. contaminans growth for up to 14 h. Despite the inclusion of genes that are typical of the phage lysogenic life cycle, we saw no evidence of CSP3’s ability to lysogenize. Continuation of phage isolation and characterization is crucial in developing large and diverse phage banks for global usage in cases of antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections. IMPORTANCE Amid the global antibiotic resistance crisis, novel antimicrobials are needed to treat problematic bacterial infections, including those from the Burkholderia cepacia complex. One such alternative is the use of bacteriophages; however, a lot is still unknown about their biology. Bacteriophage characterization studies are of high importance for building phage banks, as future work in developing treatments such as phage cocktails should require well-characterized phages. Here, we report the isolation and characterization of a novel Burkholderia contaminans phage that requires the O-antigen for infection, a distinct phenotype seen among other related phages. Our findings presented in this article expand on the ever-evolving phage biology field, uncovering unique phage-host relationships and mechanisms of infection. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T05:19:58Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-352bd522ff8f49bdb77237cd4b6aba93 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2165-0497 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T05:19:58Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | American Society for Microbiology |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Microbiology Spectrum |
| spelling | doaj.art-352bd522ff8f49bdb77237cd4b6aba932023-06-15T13:18:33ZengAmerican Society for MicrobiologyMicrobiology Spectrum2165-04972023-06-0111310.1128/spectrum.05332-22Burkholderia contaminans Bacteriophage CSP3 Requires O-Antigen Polysaccharides for InfectionCassandra R. Stanton0Steven Batinovic1Steve Petrovski2Department of Microbiology, Anatomy, Physiology & Pharmacology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, AustraliaDepartment of Microbiology, Anatomy, Physiology & Pharmacology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, AustraliaDepartment of Microbiology, Anatomy, Physiology & Pharmacology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, AustraliaABSTRACT The Burkholderia cepacia complex is a group of opportunistic pathogens that cause both severe acute and chronic respiratory infections. Due to their large genomes containing multiple intrinsic and acquired antimicrobial resistance mechanisms, treatment is often difficult and prolonged. One alternative to traditional antibiotics for treatment of bacterial infections is bacteriophages. Therefore, the characterization of bacteriophages infective for the Burkholderia cepacia complex is critical to determine their suitability for any future use. Here, we describe the isolation and characterization of novel phage, CSP3, infective against a clinical isolate of Burkholderia contaminans. CSP3 is a new member of the Lessievirus genus that targets various Burkholderia cepacia complex organisms. Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis of CSP3-resistant B. contaminans showed that mutations to the O-antigen ligase gene, waaL, consequently inhibited CSP3 infection. This mutant phenotype is predicted to result in the loss of cell surface O-antigen, contrary to a related phage that requires the inner core of the lipopolysaccharide for infection. Additionally, liquid infection assays showed that CSP3 provides suppression of B. contaminans growth for up to 14 h. Despite the inclusion of genes that are typical of the phage lysogenic life cycle, we saw no evidence of CSP3’s ability to lysogenize. Continuation of phage isolation and characterization is crucial in developing large and diverse phage banks for global usage in cases of antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections. IMPORTANCE Amid the global antibiotic resistance crisis, novel antimicrobials are needed to treat problematic bacterial infections, including those from the Burkholderia cepacia complex. One such alternative is the use of bacteriophages; however, a lot is still unknown about their biology. Bacteriophage characterization studies are of high importance for building phage banks, as future work in developing treatments such as phage cocktails should require well-characterized phages. Here, we report the isolation and characterization of a novel Burkholderia contaminans phage that requires the O-antigen for infection, a distinct phenotype seen among other related phages. Our findings presented in this article expand on the ever-evolving phage biology field, uncovering unique phage-host relationships and mechanisms of infection.https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/spectrum.05332-22bacteriophagephageBurkholderia cepacia complexphage therapycharacterizationO-antigen |
| spellingShingle | Cassandra R. Stanton Steven Batinovic Steve Petrovski Burkholderia contaminans Bacteriophage CSP3 Requires O-Antigen Polysaccharides for Infection Microbiology Spectrum bacteriophage phage Burkholderia cepacia complex phage therapy characterization O-antigen |
| title | Burkholderia contaminans Bacteriophage CSP3 Requires O-Antigen Polysaccharides for Infection |
| title_full | Burkholderia contaminans Bacteriophage CSP3 Requires O-Antigen Polysaccharides for Infection |
| title_fullStr | Burkholderia contaminans Bacteriophage CSP3 Requires O-Antigen Polysaccharides for Infection |
| title_full_unstemmed | Burkholderia contaminans Bacteriophage CSP3 Requires O-Antigen Polysaccharides for Infection |
| title_short | Burkholderia contaminans Bacteriophage CSP3 Requires O-Antigen Polysaccharides for Infection |
| title_sort | burkholderia contaminans bacteriophage csp3 requires o antigen polysaccharides for infection |
| topic | bacteriophage phage Burkholderia cepacia complex phage therapy characterization O-antigen |
| url | https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/spectrum.05332-22 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT cassandrarstanton burkholderiacontaminansbacteriophagecsp3requiresoantigenpolysaccharidesforinfection AT stevenbatinovic burkholderiacontaminansbacteriophagecsp3requiresoantigenpolysaccharidesforinfection AT stevepetrovski burkholderiacontaminansbacteriophagecsp3requiresoantigenpolysaccharidesforinfection |