A1 Journal article (refereed)
Indirect Selection against Antibiotic Resistance via Specialized Plasmid-Dependent Bacteriophages (2021)
Penttinen, R., Given, C., & Jalasvuori, M. (2021). Indirect Selection against Antibiotic Resistance via Specialized Plasmid-Dependent Bacteriophages. Microorganisms, 9(2), Article 280. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9020280
JYU authors or editors
Publication details
All authors or editors: Penttinen, Reetta; Given, Cindy; Jalasvuori, Matti
Journal or series: Microorganisms
eISSN: 2076-2607
Publication year: 2021
Publication date: 29/01/2021
Volume: 9
Issue number: 2
Article number: 280
Publisher: MDPI AG
Publication country: Switzerland
Publication language: English
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9020280
Publication open access: Openly available
Publication channel open access: Open Access channel
Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/73977
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance genes of important Gram-negative bacterial pathogens are residing in mobile genetic elements such as conjugative plasmids. These elements rapidly disperse between cells when antibiotics are present and hence our continuous use of antimicrobials selects for elements that often harbor multiple resistance genes. Plasmid-dependent (or male-specific or, in some cases, pilus-dependent) bacteriophages are bacterial viruses that infect specifically bacteria that carry certain plasmids. The introduction of these specialized phages into a plasmid-abundant bacterial community has many beneficial effects from an anthropocentric viewpoint: the majority of the plasmids are lost while the remaining plasmids acquire mutations that make them untransferable between pathogens. Recently, bacteriophage-based therapies have become a more acceptable choice to treat multi-resistant bacterial infections. Accordingly, there is a possibility to utilize these specialized phages, which are not dependent on any particular pathogenic species or strain but rather on the resistance-providing elements, in order to improve or enlengthen the lifespan of conventional antibiotic approaches. Here, we take a snapshot of the current knowledge of plasmid-dependent bacteriophages.
Keywords: antibiotic resistance; plasmids; bacteriophages
Free keywords: antibiotic resistance; conjugative plasmids; plasmid-dependent; male-specific; pilus-binding; bacteriophages
Contributing organizations
Related projects
- Treating severe COVID-19 associated secondary bacterial infections with Phage Therapy under the Declaration of Helsinki
- Jalasvuori, Matti
- Research Council of Finland
- Plasmid-dependent bacteriophages: a novel tool to fight bacterial biofilms, persistent infections and the spread of antibiotic resistance
- Jalasvuori, Matti
- Research Council of Finland
Ministry reporting: Yes
Reporting Year: 2021
JUFO rating: 1