Biotechnological applications of bacteriophages: State of the art

Author(s)

Harada, Liliam K. ^[1] ; Silva, Erica C. ^[1] ; Campos, Welida F. ^[1] ; Del Fiol, Fernando S. ^[1] ; Vila, Marta ^[1] ; Dabrowska, Krystyna ^[2] ; Krylov, Victor N. ^[3] ; Balcao, Victor M. ^{[4, 1]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sorocaba, Ibs 2 Intelligent Biosensing & Biomol Stabilizat, PhageLab Lab Biofilms & Bacteriophages, Sorocaba, SP - Brazil

^[2] Polish Acad Sci, Inst Immunol & Expt Therapy, Bacteriophage Lab, Wroclaw - Poland

^[3] Russian Acad Med Sci, Mechnikov Res Inst Vaccines & Sera, Lab Genet Bacteriophages, State Inst Genet & Select Ind Microorganisms, 1st Dorozhnii Proezd 1, Moscow 113545 - Russia

^[4] Univ Minho, CEB Ctr Biol Engn, Braga - Portugal

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: MICROBIOLOGICAL RESEARCH; v. 212, p. 38-58, 2018.
• Web of Science Citations: 13

Abstract

Bacteriophage particles are the most abundant biological entities on our planet, infecting specific bacterial hosts in every known environment and being major drivers of bacterial adaptive evolution. The study of bacteriophage particles potentially sheds light on the development of new biotechnology products. Bacteriophage therapy, although not new, makes use of strictly lytic phage particles as an alternative in the antimicrobial treatment of resistant bacterial infections and is being rediscovered as a safe method due to the fact that these biological entities devoid of any metabolic machinery do not have affinity to eukaryotic cells. Furthermore, bacteriophage-based vaccination is emerging as one of the most promising preventive strategies. This review paper discusses the biological nature of bacteriophage particles, their mode(s) of action and potential exploitation in modern biotechnology. Topics covered in detail include the potential of bacteriophage particles in human infections (bacteriophage therapy), nanocages for gene delivery, food biopreservation and safety, biocontrol of plant pathogens, phage display, bacterial biosensing devices, vaccines and vaccine carriers, biofilm and bacterial growth control, surface disinfection, corrosion control, together with structural and functional stabilization issues. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 16/08884-3 - PneumoPhageColor - development of a colorimetric biodetection kit for Pseudomonas aeruginosa based on phage particles
• Grantee: Vitor Manuel Cardoso Figueiredo Balcão
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 16/16641-3 - Structural and functional stabilization of sericin in a biopolysaccharide hydrogel: bio-origami for skin regeneration
• Grantee: Liliam Katsue Harada Rocha
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• FAPESP's process: 16/12234-4 - TransAppIL - Transdermal delivery of structurally and functionally stabilized protein entities applying ionic liquids.
• Grantee: Marta Maria Duarte Carvalho Vila
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants