A5046166713- Bacteriophages and microbial interactions
- Bacterial Genetics and Biotechnology
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Microbial infections and disease research
- Antibiotic Resistance in Bacteria
- Monoclonal and Polyclonal Antibodies Research
- RNA and protein synthesis mechanisms
- Reproductive tract infections research
- Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology
- Glycosylation and Glycoproteins Research
- Legume Nitrogen Fixing Symbiosis
- Escherichia coli research studies
- Viral gastroenteritis research and epidemiology
- Bacterial biofilms and quorum sensing
- Biochemical and Molecular Research
- Enzyme Production and Characterization
- Aquaculture disease management and microbiota
- Plant and Fungal Interactions Research
- Evolution and Genetic Dynamics
- Plant Virus Research Studies
- Biofuel production and bioconversion
- Lung Cancer Treatments and Mutations
- Carbohydrate Chemistry and Synthesis
- Parasitic Infections and Diagnostics
- Enzyme Catalysis and Immobilization
Ghent University
2018-2025
University of Wrocław
2016-2025
Ghent University Hospital
2023-2025
The rise of antibiotic-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae, a leading nosocomial pathogen, prompts the need for alternative therapies. We have identified and characterized novel depolymerase enzyme encoded by phage KP36 (depoKP36), from Siphoviridae family. To gain insights into catalytic structural features depoKP36, we recombinantly produced this protein 93.4 kDa showed that it is able to hydrolyze crude exopolysaccharide K. pneumoniae host. Using in vitro vivo assays, found depoKP36 was also...
Klebsiella pneumoniae produces capsular polysaccharides that are a crucial virulence factor protecting bacteria against innate response mechanisms of the infected host. Simultaneously, those capsules targeted by specific bacteriophages equipped with virion-associated depolymerases able to recognize and degrade these polysaccharides. We show phage KP32 two capsule depolymerases, KP32gp37 KP32gp38, high specificity for serotypes K3 K21, respectively. Together, they determine host spectrum...
Klebsiella pneumoniae carries a thick polysaccharide capsule. This highly variable chemical structure plays an important role in its virulence. Many bacteriophages recognize this capsule with receptor binding protein (RBP) that contains depolymerase domain. domain degrades the to initiate phage infection. RBPs are specific and thus largely determine host spectrum of phage. A majority known phages have only one or two RBPs, but up 11 activity broad been identified. detailed bioinformatic...
Pseudomonas phage LKA1 of the subfamily Autographivirinae encodes a tailspike protein (LKA1gp49) which binds and cleaves B-band LPS (O-specific antigen, OSA) aeruginosa PAO1. The crystal structure LKA1gp49 catalytic domain consists beta-helix, an insertion C-terminal discoidin-like domain. putative substrate binding processing site is located on face beta-helix whereas likely involved in carbohydrates binding. NMR spectroscopy mass spectrometry analyses degraded (OSA) fragments show O5...
Abstract One of the potential antibiofilm strategies is to use lytic phages and phage-derived polysaccharide depolymerases. The idea uncover bacteria embedded in biofilm matrix making them accessible vulnerable antibacterials immune system. Here we present efficiency phage KP34 equipped with virion-associated capsule degrading enzyme (depolymerase) its recombinant depolymerase KP34p57, depolymerase-non-bearing KP15, ciprofloxacin, separately combination, using a multidrug-resistant K....
The antimicrobial resistance crisis has rekindled interest in bacteriophage therapy. Phages have been studied over a century as therapeutics to treat bacterial infections, but one of the biggest challenges for use phages therapeutic interventions remains their high specificity.
Abstract Background The interaction between bacteriophages and their hosts is intricate highly specific. Receptor-binding proteins (RBPs) of phages such as tail fibers tailspikes initiate the infection process. These RBPs bind to diverse outer membrane structures, including O-antigen, which a serogroup-specific sugar-based component lipopolysaccharide layer Gram-negative bacteria. Among most virulent Escherichia coli strains Shiga toxin-producing E. (STEC) pathotype dominated by subset...
Bacterial vaginosis is characterized by an imbalance of the vaginal microbiome and a characteristic biofilm formed on epithelium, which initiated dominated Gardnerella bacteria, frequently refractory to antibiotic treatment. We investigated endolysins type 1,4-beta-N-acetylmuramidase encoded prophages as alternative When recombinantly expressed, these proteins demonstrated strong bactericidal activity against four different species. By domain shuffling, we generated several engineered with...
The rising antimicrobial resistance is particularly alarming for Acinetobacter baumannii, calling the discovery and evaluation of alternatives to treat A. baumannii infections. Some bacteriophages produce a structural protein that depolymerizes capsular exopolysaccharide. Such purified depolymerases are considered as novel antivirulence compounds. We identified characterized depolymerase (DpoMK34) from phage vB_AbaP_PMK34 active against clinical isolate MK34. In silico analysis reveals...
Klebsiella pneumoniae phages vB_KpnP_SU503 (SU503) and vB_KpnP_SU552A (SU552A) are virulent viruses belonging to the Autographivirinae subfamily of Podoviridae that infect kill multi-resistant K. isolates. Phages SU503 SU552A show high pairwise nucleotide identity KP34 (NC_013649), F19 (NC_023567) NTUH-K2044-K1-1 (NC_025418). Bioinformatic analysis these phage genomes conservation gene arrangement content, conserved catalytically active residues their RNA polymerase, a common specific lysis...
Abstract The Klebsiella jumbo myophage ϕKp24 displays an unusually complex arrangement of tail fibers interacting with a host cell. In this study, we combine cryo-electron microscopy methods, protein structure prediction molecular simulations, microbiological and machine learning approaches to explore the capsid, tail, ϕKp24. We determine capsid at 4.1 Å 3.0 resolution. observe are branched rearranged dramatically upon cell surface attachment. This configuration involves fourteen putative...
In this work, we determined the structure of Klebsiella phage KP34p57 capsular depolymerase and dissected role individual domains in trimerization functional activity. The crystal serendipitously revealed that enzyme can exist a monomeric state once deprived its C-terminal domain. Based on site-directed mutagenesis, localized key catalytic residues an intra-subunit deep groove. Consistently, show C-terminally trimmed variants are monomeric, stable, fully active. elaboration active...
Background: Phage tail-like bacteriocins, or tailocins, provide a competitive advantage to producer cells by killing closely related bacteria. Morphologically similar headless phages, their narrow target specificity is determined receptor-binding proteins (RBPs). While RBP engineering has been used alter the range of selected R2 tailocin from Pseudomonas aeruginosa, process labor-intensive, limiting broader application. Methods: We introduce VersaTile-driven and screening platform scale up...
<title>Abstract</title> Despite significant progress in understanding phage biology and their clinical applications, the specificity of phages remains only merely understood a matter empirical testing. This study investigates receptor-binding protein KP32gp38 Klebsiella KP32, which features unique C-terminal tandem carbohydrate-binding module (CBM) lectin-like (LEC) domain. We dissected roles these modules trimerization, substrate binding, specificity. Our results demonstrate that LEC domain...
The growing threat of multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae, coupled with its role in gut colonisation, has intensified the search for new treatments, including bacteriophage therapy. Despite increasing documentation Klebsiella-targeting phages, clinical applications remain limited, key phage-bacteria interactions still poorly understood. A major obstacle is fragmented access to well-characterised pairings, restricting collective advancement therapeutic and mechanistic insights. To...
Quantification of the number living cells in biofilm or after eradication treatments biofilm, is problematic for different reasons. We assessed performance pre-treatment DNA, planktonic and ex vivo vaginal biofilms Gardnerella with propidium monoazide (PMAxx) to prevent qPCR-based amplification DNA from killed (viability-qPCR). Standard PMAxx treatment did not completely inactivate free affect cells. While culture indicated that killing by heat endolysin was complete, viability-qPCR only log...
The second symposium of the Belgian Society for Viruses Microbes (BSVoM) took place on 8 September 2023 at University Liège with 141 participants from 10 countries. meeting program covered three thematic sessions opened by international keynote speakers: two were devoted to “Fundamental research in phage ecology and biology” third one “Present future applications phages”. During this day symposium, four invited lectures, nine selected talks eight student pitches given along thirty presented...
Abstract Phage tail-like bacteriocins, or tailocins, provide a competitive advantage to producer cells by killing closely related bacteria. Morphologically similar headless phages, their narrow target specificity is determined receptor-binding proteins (RBPs). While RBP engineering has been used alter the host range of selected R2 tailocin from Pseudomonas aeruginosa , process labor-intensive, limiting broader application. We introduce VersaTile-driven platform scale up grafting. This...
Abstract Background The interaction between bacteriophages and their hosts is intricate highly specific. Receptor-binding proteins (RBPs) of phages such as tail fibers tailspikes initiate the infection process. These RBPs bind to diverse outer membrane structures, including O-antigen, which a serogroup-specific sugar-based component lipopolysaccharide layer Gram-negative bacteria. Among most virulent E. coli strains Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia (STEC) pathotype dominated by subset...