Phage-mediated bacterial lysis studied by AFM and SPR
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| Year of publication | 2022 |
| Type | Appeared in Conference without Proceedings |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
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| Description | Since the emergence and spread of multidrug-resistant bacterial strains exceed the development of new antimicrobial agents, an amount of research aimed at finding new therapeutic approaches is fostering. Suitable alternatives to combat bacterial infections include bacterial viruses (bacteriophages) or lytic enzymes (enzybiotics) as possible replacements or enhancers of conventional antibiotics. Phage therapy uses lytic phages to kill the bacterial host as a result of the virus life cycle, thus working with dynamic, living, and evolving entities. Detailed characterization of phage-mediated bacterial lysis is, therefore, essential. Biosensor-based techniques are sensitive and rapid analytical methods that provide detailed insight into lytic processes. As a surface imaging technique, atomic force microscopy (AFM) can be used to visualize cells and measure their mechanical properties. Biosensors based on surface plasmon resonance (SPR) record the interactions between biomacromolecules or small particles. Both of these approaches allow for monitoring immobilized cells under native conditions and in real-time. In our work, we investigate the effect of lytic antimicrobials against the pathogen Staphylococcus aureus. The study is focused on bacterial lysis mediated by the phage vB_SauP_P68 (P68) and the enzyme lysostaphin. AFM enabled a high-resolution investigation of topographical and biomechanical properties at the single cell level. The SPR experiments completed the work with the information on the kinetics of agent-bacterium interaction. The results are believed to help fight against bacterial infections and support the development of phage therapy. |
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