Sains Malaysiana 53(5)(2024): 1043-1054

http://doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2024-5305-06

Evaluation of the Bacteriophage MAC-1 Potential to Control Pseudomonas aeruginosa Planktonic Cells and Biofilms

(Penilaian Potensi Bakteriofag MAC-1 untuk Mengawal Sel Plankton Pseudomonas aeruginosa dan Biofilem)

MOAZ AQEEL¹, SAYED MUHAMMAD ATA ULLAH SHAH BUKHARI², HIDAYAT ULLAH⁵, TAHIR HUSSAIN³, AMAN ULLAH², MUHSIN JAMAL^3,*, MUHAMMAD ASIF NAWAZ⁴, SAADIA ANDLEEB¹, KHURSHAID KHAN⁵, SIDRA PERVEZ⁶ & MUHAMMAD IMRAN⁷

¹Atta-ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences, National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad-44000, Pakistan

²Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Medical Sciences, Rawalpindi-46000, Pakistan

³Department of Microbiology, Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan -23200, Pakistan

⁴Department of Biotechnology, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University, Sheringal, Dir (Upper), Pakistan

⁵Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan -23200, Pakistan

⁶Department of Biochemistry, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Women University, Peshawar-25000, Pakistan

⁷Department of Microbiology, University of Health Sciences, Lahore -54600, Pakistan

Received: 20 April 2023/Accepted: 19 March 2024

Abstract

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a pathogenic bacterium that can be considered a high risk to human health due to its remarkable capacity to resist antibiotics, either intrinsically or following the acquisition of resistance genes. P. aeruginosa has been considered a major threat to human health as all the known remedies seem ineffective. Bacteriophages as a natural killer of bacteria can offer alternative therapy for antibiotics. The study aimed to isolate and characterize a lytic bacteriophage against P. aeruginosa (clinically resistant strain/superbug) and to investigate its lytic potential to control bacterial planktonic cells and their biofilms on stainless steel surfaces. A lytic bacteriophage known as MAC-1 was isolated from wastewater against the selected P. aeruginosa-2750 strain. Its host range was moderate and it only infected six isolates. Phage MAC-1 was characterized through transmission electron microscopy and was classified to the Siphoviridae family. It has good heat and pH stability. Its latent time was 24 min with a burst size of about 410 virions per cell. The phage MAC-1 efficacy was determined against P. aeruginosa planktonic cells and biofilms on metallic surfaces. Isolated phage MAC-1 demonstrated promising activity against bacterial planktonic cells as well as in reducing bacterial biofilm biomass formed in 96-well and on stainless steel plates. However, a phage cocktail may be used to avoid resistance and ensure complete eradication of bacterial biofilms.

Keywords: Bacteriophage; biofilm; cocktail; planktonic cells; Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Abstrak

Pseudomonas aeruginosa ialah bakteria patogen yang boleh dianggap berisiko tinggi kepada kesihatan manusia kerana keupayaannya yang luar biasa untuk menentang antibiotik, sama ada secara intrinsik atau berikutan pemerolehan gen rintangan. P. aeruginosa telah dianggap sebagai ancaman utama kepada kesihatan manusia kerana tidak menunjukkan kesan daripada semua ubat sedia ada. Bakteriofaj sebagai pembunuh bakteria semula jadi boleh menawarkan terapi alternatif untuk antibiotik. Kajian ini bertujuan untuk mengasingkan dan mencirikan bakteria lisis terhadap P. aeruginosa (superbug rintang klinikal) serta mengkaji potensi lisisnya untuk mengawal sel planktonik bakteria dan biofilemnya pada permukaan keluli tahan karat. Bakteria lisis yang dikenali sebagai MAC-1 telah dipencilkan daripada air sisa terhadap strain P. aeruginosa-2750 terpilih. Julat perumahnya adalah sederhana dan hanya menjangkiti enam pencilan. Faj MAC-1 telah dicirikan melalui mikroskop elektron transmisi dan dikelaskan kepada famili Siphoviridae. Ia mempunyai kestabilan haba dan pH yang baik. Masa pendamnya ialah 24 minit dengan saiz letusan kira-kira 410 virion per sel. Keberkesanan faj MAC-1 ditentukan terhadap sel planktonik P. aeruginosa dan biofilem pada permukaan logam. Faj terpencil MAC-1 menunjukkan aktiviti yang memberangsangkan terhadap sel planktonik bakteria dan juga dalam mengurangkan biojisim biofilem bakteria yang terbentuk dalam plat 96-telaga dan pada plat keluli tahan karat. Walau bagaimanapun, koktel faj boleh digunakan untuk mengelakkan kerintangan dan memastikan pembasmian lengkap biofilem bakteria.

Kata kunci: Bakteriofaj; biofilem; koktel; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; sel planktonik

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*Corresponding author; email: muhsinjamal@awkum.edu.pk