MMPphg from the thermophilic Meiothermus bacteriophage MMP17 as a potential antimicrobial agent against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:New strategies are urgently needed to deal with the growing problem of multidrug-resistant bacterial pathogens. As the natural viruses against bacteria, recently, bacteriophages have received particular attention. Here, we identified and characterized a novel peptidoglycan hydrolase named MMPphg by decoding the complete genome sequence of Meiothermus bacteriophage MMP17, which was isolated in Tengchong hot spring in China and contains a circular genome of 33,172?bp in size and a GC content of 63.4%. FINDINGS:We cloned the MMPphg gene, overproduced and purified the phage lytic protein, which contains a highly conserved M23 metallopeptidase domain and can be activated by Mg2+ and Zn2+. MMPphg is capable of withstanding temperatures up to 70?°C, and preserved more than 80% of its activity after a 30?min treatment between 35 and 65?°C. More interestingly, by disrupting bacterial cells, MMPphg exhibits surprising antimicrobial activity against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive pathogenic bacteria, especially antibiotic-resistant strains such as Escherichia coli O157, Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumonia. CONCLUSIONS:In the current age of mounting antibiotic resistance, these results suggest the great potential of MMPphg, the gene product of bacteriophage MMP17, in combating bacterial infections and shed light on bacteriophage-based strategies to develop alternatives to conventional antibiotics for human or veterinary applications.

SUBMITTER: Wang F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7448439 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature