Shigella dysenteriae is a normal inhabitant of the human gastrointestinal tract, but sometimes it causes severe infection known as shigellosis (bacillary dysentery). Bacteriophages are considered very safe and effective agents for controlling bacterial infections and contaminations. In this study, we describe the isolation and characterization of bacteriophage WZ1, isolated from waste water which inhibits the growth of S. dysenteriae. Phage WZ1 showed maximum stability at 37 °C and was stable up to 65 °C but was totally inactive at 70 °C. The pH stability increased from low to high and was totally inactive at pH 3 while maximum stability was observed at optimal pH 7. Phage WZ1 adsorption rate to the host bacterium was significantly enhanced by the addition of CaCl2 . It has a latent time and burst time of 24 min and about 430 virions/cell, respectively. Transmission electron microscopy of phage WZ1 revealed a head width of 10 ± 0.5 nm and length of 10 ± 0.2 nm with a contractile tail of 128 ± 25 nm long and 21 ± 0.5 nm wide and belongs to family Myoviridae of order Caudovirales. Twelve structural proteins ranging from 22 to 150 kDa were detected by Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The genome was found to be double stranded DNA with an approximate size of 38 kb. It has a very good reduction potential for S. dysenteriae by lowering abruptly the optical density of the planktonic S. dysenteriae culture. Phage WZ1 is a very promising candidate for phage therapy and other applications such as phage typing.
Keywords: Bacillary dysentery; Bacteriophage; Phage therapy; Shigella dysenteriae; Waste water.
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