Phages ZC01 and ZC03 require type-IV pilus for Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection and have a potential for therapeutic applications

• DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01527-24
• Publication Date: 2024-10-29T13:02:14Z
• Authors: Layla Farage Martins; Ariosvaldo Pereir...; Gianlucca Gonçalv...; Gaby Scheunemann; Claudia Blanes An...; Fernando Pacheco ...; Ronaldo Bento Qua...; Giuseppe Palmisano; Germán Gustavo Sgro; Kelly Ishida; Regina Lúcia Baldini; Aline Maria da Silva
• Keywords: Lytic cycle; Galleria mellonella; Phage therapy

ABSTRACT There has been a growing interest in bacteriophages as therapeutic agents to treat multidrug-resistant bacterial infections. The present work aimed at expanding the microbiological and molecular characterization of lytic phages ZC01 ZC03 investigating their efficacy control Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection an invertebrate animal model. These two were previously isolated from composting using P. strain PA14 enrichment host had genomes sequenced. present, respectively, siphovirus podovirus morphotypes. was recently classified into genus Abidjanvirus , while belongs Zicotriavirus Schitoviridae N4-like viruses. Through proteomics analysis, we identified virion structural proteins ZC03, including large virion-associated RNA polymerase that is characteristic viruses, some hypothetical whose annotation should be changed putative peptidoglycan hydrolase. Phages exhibit limited yet distinct range, with moderate high efficiency plating (EOP) values observed for few clinical isolates. Phage susceptibility assays mutant strains point type-IV pilus (T4P) primary receptor major pilin (PilA ) T4P component recognized by these phages. Moreover, both significantly increase survival Galleria mellonella larvae infected strain. Taken together, results underpin potential infections lay groundwork more detailed investigation phage-bacteria-specific recognition mechanisms. IMPORTANCE therapy gaining increasing cases difficult-to-treat human infections, such carbapenem-resistant . In this work, investigated mechanism underlying interaction highly virulent larvae, commonly used model phage therapy. We depicted protein composition viral particles A, type-4 pilus, Our findings indicate may further developing therapies