Phage Aggregation-Dispersion by Ions: Striving beyond Antibacterial Therapy

Trends Biotechnol. 2018 Sep;36(9):875-881. doi: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2018.03.002. Epub 2018 Apr 10.

Abstract

Bacteriophages sense alkaline cations in their immediate extracellular environment, which regulates virion-virion interactions. An ion-steerable aggregation-dispersion (A/D) phenomenon among virions is a recently discovered step in group behavior in the phage life cycle. When powered by the octanol-based water-immiscible lipopolysaccharide (LPS) trap (oWILT) purification approach, A/D promises breakthroughs for a plethora of biotechnological applications beyond phage therapy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • 1-Octanol / chemistry
  • Animals
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
  • Bacteriophages / chemistry
  • Bacteriophages / drug effects*
  • Bacteriophages / physiology
  • Cations, Monovalent
  • Flocculation / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Lipopolysaccharides / chemistry
  • Lysogeny / physiology
  • Nanocapsules / chemistry
  • Phage Therapy / methods*
  • Potassium / chemistry
  • Potassium / pharmacology*
  • Precision Medicine / methods*
  • Sodium / chemistry
  • Sodium / pharmacology*
  • Surface Properties
  • Virion / chemistry
  • Virion / drug effects*
  • Virion / physiology

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Cations, Monovalent
  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • Nanocapsules
  • Sodium
  • 1-Octanol
  • Potassium