Characterization of a Lytic Bacteriophage and Demonstration of Its Combined Lytic Effect with a K2 Depolymerase on the Hypervirulent <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> Strain 52145
<i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> is a nosocomial pathogen. Among its virulence factors is the capsule with a prominent role in defense and biofilm formation. Bacteriophages (phages) can evoke the lysis of bacterial cells. Due to the mode of action of their polysaccharide depolymerase enzymes...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-03-01
|
| Series: | Microorganisms |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/11/3/669 |
| _version_ | 1797436300536578048 |
|---|---|
| author | Botond Zsombor Pertics Tamás Kovács György Schneider |
| author_facet | Botond Zsombor Pertics Tamás Kovács György Schneider |
| author_sort | Botond Zsombor Pertics |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> is a nosocomial pathogen. Among its virulence factors is the capsule with a prominent role in defense and biofilm formation. Bacteriophages (phages) can evoke the lysis of bacterial cells. Due to the mode of action of their polysaccharide depolymerase enzymes, phages are typically specific for one bacterial strain and its capsule type. In this study, we characterized a bacteriophage against the capsule-defective mutant of the nosocomial <i>K. pneumoniae</i> 52145 strain, which lacks K2 capsule. The phage showed a relatively narrow host range but evoked lysis on a few strains with capsular serotypes K33, K21, and K24. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the newly isolated Klebsiella phage 731 belongs to the <i>Webervirus</i> genus in the <i>Drexlerviridae</i> family; it has a 31.084 MDa double-stranded, linear DNA with a length of 50,306 base pairs and a G + C content of 50.9%. Out of the 79 open reading frames (ORFs), we performed the identification of <i>orf22</i>, coding for a trimeric tail fiber protein with putative capsule depolymerase activity, along with the mapping of other putative depolymerases of phage 731 and homologous phages. Efficacy of a previously described recombinant K2 depolymerase (B1dep) was tested by co-spotting phage 731 on <i>K. pneumoniae</i> strains, and it was demonstrated that the B1dep-phage 731 combination allows the lysis of the wild type 52145 strain, originally resistant to the phage 731. With phage 731, we showed that B1dep is a promising candidate for use as a possible antimicrobial agent, as it renders the virulent strain defenseless against other phages. Phage 731 alone is also important due to its efficacy on <i>K. pneumoniae</i> strains possessing epidemiologically important serotypes. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T10:59:39Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-dcdc83ac3e9d4e1f89082067c92c0427 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2607 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T10:59:39Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Microorganisms |
| spelling | doaj.art-dcdc83ac3e9d4e1f89082067c92c04272023-12-01T01:22:17ZengMDPI AGMicroorganisms2076-26072023-03-0111366910.3390/microorganisms11030669Characterization of a Lytic Bacteriophage and Demonstration of Its Combined Lytic Effect with a K2 Depolymerase on the Hypervirulent <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> Strain 52145Botond Zsombor Pertics0Tamás Kovács1György Schneider2Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School, University of Pécs, Szigeti St. 12., H-7624 Pécs, HungaryDepartment of Biotechnology, Nanophagetherapy Center, Enviroinvest Corporation, Kertváros St. 2., H-7632 Pécs, HungaryDepartment of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School, University of Pécs, Szigeti St. 12., H-7624 Pécs, Hungary<i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> is a nosocomial pathogen. Among its virulence factors is the capsule with a prominent role in defense and biofilm formation. Bacteriophages (phages) can evoke the lysis of bacterial cells. Due to the mode of action of their polysaccharide depolymerase enzymes, phages are typically specific for one bacterial strain and its capsule type. In this study, we characterized a bacteriophage against the capsule-defective mutant of the nosocomial <i>K. pneumoniae</i> 52145 strain, which lacks K2 capsule. The phage showed a relatively narrow host range but evoked lysis on a few strains with capsular serotypes K33, K21, and K24. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the newly isolated Klebsiella phage 731 belongs to the <i>Webervirus</i> genus in the <i>Drexlerviridae</i> family; it has a 31.084 MDa double-stranded, linear DNA with a length of 50,306 base pairs and a G + C content of 50.9%. Out of the 79 open reading frames (ORFs), we performed the identification of <i>orf22</i>, coding for a trimeric tail fiber protein with putative capsule depolymerase activity, along with the mapping of other putative depolymerases of phage 731 and homologous phages. Efficacy of a previously described recombinant K2 depolymerase (B1dep) was tested by co-spotting phage 731 on <i>K. pneumoniae</i> strains, and it was demonstrated that the B1dep-phage 731 combination allows the lysis of the wild type 52145 strain, originally resistant to the phage 731. With phage 731, we showed that B1dep is a promising candidate for use as a possible antimicrobial agent, as it renders the virulent strain defenseless against other phages. Phage 731 alone is also important due to its efficacy on <i>K. pneumoniae</i> strains possessing epidemiologically important serotypes.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/11/3/669<i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i>Klebsiella phagebacteriophagecapsule serotypecapsule depoly-merasephage receptor, K2 serotype |
| spellingShingle | Botond Zsombor Pertics Tamás Kovács György Schneider Characterization of a Lytic Bacteriophage and Demonstration of Its Combined Lytic Effect with a K2 Depolymerase on the Hypervirulent <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> Strain 52145 Microorganisms <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> Klebsiella phage bacteriophage capsule serotype capsule depoly-merase phage receptor, K2 serotype |
| title | Characterization of a Lytic Bacteriophage and Demonstration of Its Combined Lytic Effect with a K2 Depolymerase on the Hypervirulent <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> Strain 52145 |
| title_full | Characterization of a Lytic Bacteriophage and Demonstration of Its Combined Lytic Effect with a K2 Depolymerase on the Hypervirulent <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> Strain 52145 |
| title_fullStr | Characterization of a Lytic Bacteriophage and Demonstration of Its Combined Lytic Effect with a K2 Depolymerase on the Hypervirulent <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> Strain 52145 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Characterization of a Lytic Bacteriophage and Demonstration of Its Combined Lytic Effect with a K2 Depolymerase on the Hypervirulent <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> Strain 52145 |
| title_short | Characterization of a Lytic Bacteriophage and Demonstration of Its Combined Lytic Effect with a K2 Depolymerase on the Hypervirulent <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> Strain 52145 |
| title_sort | characterization of a lytic bacteriophage and demonstration of its combined lytic effect with a k2 depolymerase on the hypervirulent i klebsiella pneumoniae i strain 52145 |
| topic | <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> Klebsiella phage bacteriophage capsule serotype capsule depoly-merase phage receptor, K2 serotype |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/11/3/669 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT botondzsomborpertics characterizationofalyticbacteriophageanddemonstrationofitscombinedlyticeffectwithak2depolymeraseonthehypervirulentiklebsiellapneumoniaeistrain52145 AT tamaskovacs characterizationofalyticbacteriophageanddemonstrationofitscombinedlyticeffectwithak2depolymeraseonthehypervirulentiklebsiellapneumoniaeistrain52145 AT gyorgyschneider characterizationofalyticbacteriophageanddemonstrationofitscombinedlyticeffectwithak2depolymeraseonthehypervirulentiklebsiellapneumoniaeistrain52145 |